


Scratch Island

by captainRochol



Category: Homestuck
Genre: AU, Asphyxiation, Blood, Character Death, Decapitation, Disembowlment, Drowning, Electrocution, F/F, F/M, Getting stranded on an island, Gore, Humanstuck, IM SERIOUS EVERYONE WILL DIE, M/M, Major character death - Freeform, Murder Mystery, Mutilation, Poison, ROOOOOMANCE, RRRRRRRRED HERRINGS, Recreational Drug Use, Shooting Guns, Stabbing, Suicide, WHO IS THE MURDERER????? ITS NOT WHO YOU THINK IT IS, chapter one is just a forward ok, not for the faint of heart!!!, yes there will be romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-07-30
Updated: 2013-10-03
Packaged: 2017-12-21 21:39:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 20
Words: 21,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/905241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captainRochol/pseuds/captainRochol
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"So this is Scratch Island," she says slowly, studying the rocky island. Thick forests are scattered around the island, and a large rock juts out over a rocky beach and the crashing waves. </p><p>"I guess," you reply, your attention drawn to the large mansion in the mddle of the island. </p><p>Something about this place tickles your memory, but you just can't place where you've seen this place before. It feels like you've blocked it out. You shrug and get off the boat. Maybe that's for the best. </p><p>------</p><p>A horror-murder mystery with our favorite characters dropping one by one...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. FORWARD

Hello my friends!!!

This is just a forward to briefly explain what's going to e going on before we dive headfirst into this tricky murder mystery!!

Some things to keep in mind:

•THERES GOING TO BE A LOT OF BLOOD, GOTE, GRAPHIC VIOLENCE/SCENES, AND DEATH BY VARIOUS MEANS!! NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART!!

•This plotline is going to be a huge clusterfuck of what the hell, red herrings, and plot twists!! :33 keep your eyes out for that stuff!!

•THERE WILL BE ROMANCE, REST ASSURED MY FRIENDS. BUt not enough to suffocate! This *is* a murder mystery, not a romance mystery!

•None of the characters know each other, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF:  
-Nepeta and Equius (best friends)  
-John and Jade (cousins)  
-Dave and Rose (half-siblings)  
-Onesided Rose and Karkat (she loves his books)  
-Dave and Terezi (dated in high school)  
-Aradia and Sollux (dated in high school)

•YES THIS IS HUMANSTUCK OK

•They're all around 24 doodeedoo

and thats it i think???? so >:] enjoy my friends


	2. Chapter 2

PART ONE  
FEATURING: the introductions of all the characters, English Dock, café-running twins, a common cabbie, and the reunion of four highschool ex-es

==> Be the Pianist

Your name is John Egbert, and you're currently on a train. 

You're on you way to Scratch Island. What a name. You weren't aware this island even existed until you got a letter from Jade. 

You still have the letter, clutched in your left hand, suitcase in the right. 

_John,_ the letter reads, _It's been such a long time!!! I can't believe we haven't seen each other for this long... We have to change this! You should meet me on this cute little island called Scratch Island!! It's not that far from Washington... it's just off the coast of Sacramento! Anyway, how about we meet there, say, April 13? See you then! <3 Jade. _

Her writing style has certainly changed since the last time you both talked, but it sounds a good deal like Jade.

The train comes to a stop, and you stand, quickly getting off the train. You walk up the cobblestone sidewalk, to a taxi stand. You'll just take a taxi to the ferry, where you're supposed to meet Jade, then head to Scratch Island. 

She's lucky you decided to come; you were considering playing Carnegie Hall this weekend. 

But you had decided you had played that stuffy old stage too many times, and that you should just come on down here and visit Jade. 

It was the least you could do, after all!

You climb into the taxi, telling the driver where you wanted to go. You stared out the window as you drove through the streets of bright sunny California. You couldn't help but enjoy the weather; it wasn't often you got so much sun in Seattle!

But before too long the taxi stops. You hand the driver your fare, plus a little extra for not rambling, and climb out. You inhale deeply through your nose, closing your eyes as you smell the salty tang of the sea. 

You then open your eyes, and headed down to the dock. 

-*-

==> Be the New Yorker

Your name is Rose Lalonde, and you're on a plane. 

Your eyes skim the words on page 235 in your favorite book--- The Higher Place, by Karkat Vantas. 

God, you love that man. He is the best romance writer you have ever stumbled on, and if you ever have a chance to meet him, you might just scream like a fangirl seeing David Tennant or some other BBC show star. 

And then you'd psychoanalyze him to death, because that's what you do best. 

But as much as you enjoy eating bland airplane cookies and trying to reread a novel while the plane hiccups from the turbulence, you wonder why you agreed to this. 

This being flying out to meet Dave on some tiny, unknown island by the name of Scratch Island. 

Dave had sent you the most ridiculous letter, demanding that you meet up with him in so many metaphors. 

The letter had amused you so much you decided to leave your serene house in New York and fly out to meet him. 

And you were now regretting this. 

You sigh as the plane starts to descend. You fold up your tray and bookmark your spot in the worn paperback, tucking it into your black carry-on bag. 

After a huge ordeal of disembarking, heading through the airport, and finally finding your luggage, you're out in the Californian air. 

It's different. 

It's not the chilly sort of heat you expirience in New York, and it's not the sweltering, baking heat you feel in Texas when you visit your childhood home. It's nice, just a steady warmth that surrounds you. 

You smile faintly, finally hailing down a taxi and climbing inside. After telling the driver where to go, you dig out your novel. Might as well get some reading done. 

-*-

==> Be the Ironic Coolkid 

Your name is Dave Strider, and you hate your sister right now. 

Why the hell would she want to meet you? And in California, of all places! It was farther than a trip to the moon for both of you, and she usually drove down to Texas to visit on the rare occassion she wanted to see your face. 

You break your perpetual poker face to scowl at the road in front of you. You've been driving all day. 

DJ-ing makes you a decent income to support your lazy lifestyle, but you sure don't own enough to afford a plane ride. So you have to drive.

You grit your teeth, only relaxing as you see the "Welcome to Sacramento! California's Capitol!" sign sticking out of the spottily-grassed ground. 

You drive down the roads, heading for the dock Rose told you to meet her at. Apparently, there's no other way to get to the island other than that dock. 

You put your poker face on as you turn down the volume of your radio, keeping your eyes peeled for the turn to get to the dock. 

You don't see it. 

You make three or four laps around the same stretch of road before you stop, annoyed. You pull over to a little café by the name of Calliope's, and walk inside. The bell jingles, and you're greeted by a short pale woman with white ringlets. 

She's adorable, and you wouldn't mind getting her number, but you had other things to attend to at the moment. 

"Do you know where I can find English Dock?" you ask her, as she picks up a paper menu, apparently about to usher you to a table. 

She looks a bit startled. "You're going to Scratch Island?" she asks, setting the menu back down slowly. You nod. 

"Yeah, but I have no idea where to find the dock," you reply, censoring out the expletives that would normally flow with the rest of the sentance. She appears a bit nervous and bites her lip. 

"Wait here," she says quickly, before running across the restaurant into the kitchen. 

She emerges a few minutes later with a tall, tanned boy with a shaved head. He's wearing a chef outfit, and looks throughly annoyed. 

He stops in front of you. "Are you the jackass that wants to know where English Dock is?" he snarls at you. You raise your brows. What crawled up his ass?

You nod.

He takes a map out from a little magazine stand by the door, grumbling all the while. 

"Caliborn, don't---" the small girl says fretfully, green eyes widenend. 

"Sod off, Calli," he replied roughly, before shoving the map at you. "Here. Now get the fuck out." He stomps back to the kitchen. 

You turn your gaze to the map, studying it. He's circled where you are right now, and drawn thick, slightly squiggly red lines to direct you to English Dock, which is boxed. 

You glance up at the woman--- Calli?--- and nod. "Thanks," you say, before turning and leaving. 

You check your watch. Almost noon, the time when you're supposed to meet Rose. You speed up your nonchalant stroll just a tad, and hop in the car. Time to get a move on. 

-*-

==> Be the Pacific Islander

Your name is Jade Harley, and, wow California is so cool! 

This is one of the first times you've been in the United States, and you feel like a tourist. 

You snap slightly blurry pictures with the disposable camera as you walk down the sidewalk. The sun glints off your round glasses, and you take a moment to tuck a lock of dark brown hair behind a darkly tanned ear. 

California is so neat! Just this morning, you stopped by a bakery, and they had more muffin flavors than you could count on both hands! Insanity. 

And now you're trying to find a dock by the name of English Dock. 

What a funny name, you think, as you take a picture of a manhole. 

You've been walking all morning--- it's almost noon now--- and feet hurt a bit from the sandals you're wearing, but that doesn't bother you! You're just excited to see your cousin John again!

It's been so long since you've seen that hooligan; you've heard he's a famous pianist now, though! How cool is that!?

You pause on the outer edge of the sidewalk to take your backpack off and find a water bottle. You're accustomed to much hotter temperatures than this, so walking through the sunny California streets is a breeze, but you know if you don't drink enough you're in danger of passing out. 

You hoist your forest green pack back onto your shoulders and continue trekking down the cobblestone sidewalk, snapping the occasional picture. 

You finally come across the entrance to the dock and walk down the waterlogged boards, feeling them creak under your weight. You step off them at the bottom, standing on the coarse yellow-brown sand and staring out into the ocean. Four boats are docked there, and you raise a thick eyebrow. 

From what John's letter said, it had made it seem like it would be just the two of you, yet... there was a captain in each of the dingy, battered boats. You frown, turning around as you hear footsteps behind you.


	3. Chapter 3

===> Be the trashy-novel author

Your name is Karkat Vantas, and god almighty do you want to get to this island already. Or right now, to English Dock. 

You're ready for a vacation. You've been working your ass off at your marriage counseling career all month, and you haven't gotten any writing done. Which is a fucking pity, because you've had the best idea bouncing around in your head for the past month. 

So you decided to take a vacation. You told your sweet-as-pie receptionist Ms. Paint that you were taking a week or two off to relax and write another novel, and could she hold down the fort until then?

She had agreed, cream-colored curls bouncing around her plump face. Jesus, that woman is too sweet, it's unhealthy. 

But that aside, you are now driving down the streets of California. It's just dumb luck that you found an advertisement for this place in your mail--- Scratch Island! A classy resort for anyone who wants to get away!

You had the ad practically memorized, because at the bottom, there was an alert for a contest. Whomever wrote the best five page romance drabble won a free week at the state-of-the-art resort. And so, of course, you jumped on it. And won. 

So that puts you here, driving your Mercedes-Benz through the warm California streets. Sure, the dock and island were only four or five hours from your home, but a vacation was still a vacation. 

You briefly wonder why you don't remember ever hearing about Scratch Island, yet the name tickles your memory uncomfortably, an itch you can't scratch. You shrug. 

_It doesn't matter,_ you think as you park your car in the lot next to a worn sign reading Scratch Island. At least you get a vacation for free. 

You step out of your car, popping the trunk and rolling up the top before getting your suitcase out. 

As you walk down the darkened steps leading to the dock you sigh softly, mulling over your new novel. You have every part of the plot down except for the most important character. 

The female protagonist. You don't know what kind of personality to give her. You've had soft and kind women, rough and abrasive ones, and even bitchy loners. 

You're out of ideas. Oh well. Maybe you'll find inspiration on your vacation. 

-*-

===> Be the snoozing ginger

Your name is Aradia Megido, and you're currently asleep, even though your plane is starting to land. 

When you're on a plane for hours and hours, you tend to get tuckered out! And taking a flight from Saudi Arabia to California with only a quick stop in New Mexico constitutes as flying hours and hours. 

It's only when the man sitting next to you taps your shoulder that you wake up. You blink a few times, then stand quickly. You grab your leather bag from the overhead storage and hurry off the plane. 

You're going to be late! It's already 11:52, and if you're not at English Dock by noon, you'll be taken off the job!

The job. You grin happily as you hurry through the airport. Your dig supervisor had sent you a letter saying he wanted you on a solo dig at some place called Scratch Island. You had agreed immediately; now was your chance to prove yourself as an archaeologist!

You hail a taxi quickly, climbing in. You set your bag next to you, telling the driver where you wanted to go. He nodded, starting to drive there. 

You stretch back in the cracked vinyl seat, closing your eyes. Might as well get some sleep on the way. 

-*-

===> Be the Hispanic vet

Your name is Tavros Nitram, and while you don't know it yet, you are one of the two vets who are duped into coming to this island. 

But that's irrelevant right now. 

You're currently getting off your plane. Or, actually, you're standing up. The woman next to you, a slightly plump ginger, is still asleep, and you gently tap her shoulder to awaken her. 

She wakes up almost immediately. 

"The plane just landed," you say to her gently, reaching under your seat for your small carry-on. Her eyes widen.

"Oh!" she exclaims, brown eyes wide as she quickly stands and retrieves her leather bag before dashing off the plane. You wonder why she's in such a hurry. 

Then you glance at your own watch, and your eyes widen when you see the time--- 11:50 already?!

Dammit, you're going to be late! You have to get to Scratch Island! The head of your veterinary sector sent you an email the other day, saying there were some animals you needed to rescue from Scratch Island, and would you please go?

You had immediately agreed, being the tender-hearted man you were, and had boarded a plane that was making a quick stop in New Mexico from Saudi Arabia. 

And now, you're going to be late! This was Not Okay. You hurried off the plane, and, not wasting time to hail a taxi, you run down the sidewalk. You've always had a thing for directions, and you easily remember where the dock is. Not too far from the airport, thankfully. 

You arrive before too long and hurry down the steps to the dock, eager to start this adventure. 

-*-

===> Be the irritable geek

Your name is Sollux Captor, and you are not irritable. 

That's a lie, and you wonder why you momentarily thought you weren't irritable, especially considering you're extremely pissed off at the moment. 

You've been driving your Chevy Impala around Sacramento for two hours, and even though the number would usually please some part of you, you're just pissed off. 

Being an IT guy sucks big hairy dicks. 

You got some ridiculous job request from some wealthy douchenozzle on some godforsaken island you've never heard of, despite living in Rosemont, California your entire life. 

The only thing that convinced you to go was the staggering amount of cash being offered to you; 22,222 dollars, all for hooking up a PC system. Ridiculous. But you weren't complaining in the slightest. 

Well. At least not about the money. But the trip to, the visit, and the trip back are all gripe-worthy, and you _will_ get your complain-quota filled today. 

You finally, finally see a sign that says English Dock in rusted red letters, and pull into the sandy strip that serves as a parking lot. There are a surprising amount of cars parked on the strip, and you wonder if anyone else is going to Scratch Island. 

You merely shrug, not exactly caring, and retrieve your laptop case and other electronic gear from the backseat before locking the car and heading down to the dock.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 3:  
===> Be the _other_ veterinarian

Your name is Nepeta Leijon, and you're super excited!

You're driving down to Sacramento to visit your best friend, Equius Zahhak. You've known that loveable hunk of a man since first grade, and even though you parted ways in college, you've kept in touch. 

And now you're going to meet up with him for the first time in years! You cannot believe this is happening. 

You quickly get off your train, stretching. Sitting in a train car on a ride from Montana to California is tiring, to say the least! But you're here now. 

You grab your navy bag, the one with little cartoon cats, and walk out of the train station. You squint when the bright sun makes contact with your eyes, and start walking. The dock isn't too far from the train station, according to MapQuest. 

So you decided to walk. Getting excersize was always a good thing. 

You stroll contentedly down the cobblestone sidewalk, humming a Korean song idly to yourself. You pause as you see the sign reading English Dock in fading letters, and pick up the pace a bit. 

You can't wait to see Equius!

-*-

===> Be the fashion designer

Your name is Kanaya Maryam, and why must it be so hot in California? You're used to more chilly weather; you've lived in the UK, and then Oregon for most of your life, and it's always been rainy and fresh. 

A bead of sweat trickles down your dark face as you walk ride the bus down to the dock. You abhor the bus, but it's a tribulation you must endure for now. 

You are rather excited, though; you've been invited to a fashion expo! And one for elite designers only! Your lips turn up in a smile as you think about it. Famous fashion designers from all over the world will be there. 

And apparently you're famous too, because you've been invited to showcase your summer line of clothing, even though it's only April. But you're not complaining in the slightest. 

The bus comes to the spot you're supposed to get off at, and you stand, leaving the bus quietly, jade bag in tow. 

The bus rumbles off after a moment, and you glance both ways before walking across the street. You bump into a short woman, and you turn to glare at her. 

"Excuse me, if you would kindly watch where you're going," you start, words crisp. She just gives you a shit-eating grin. 

"And what is so funny?" you huff, narrowing your eyes. 

"I can't watch where I'm going," she replied coolly, snickering at you. 

"And why not?"

She just smirks at you, tapping a cane on the street as you both cross. You suddenly feel a bit sick; she's blind. 

"Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't know---" you fumble, cheeks burning with shame. 

"It's fine," she shrugs, still grinning at you. "You can just make up for it by walking me to the place I need to be. I don't know where it is."

You nod slowly. This is the least you can do for her.

"Where do you need to be?"

"English Dock," she replies, and your eyes widen. 

"English Dock? Are you a fashion designer?" you ask quickly. 

She looks confused. "What? No. I'm a prosecutor." 

You furrow your brow. Why was a prosecutor going to a fashion expo...?

-*-

===> Be the blind prosecutor 

Your name is Terezi Pyrope, and you've been walking through California for ages!

It's pretty nice; a bit warmer than your hometown of Florida, but you can cope. 

And for another thing! You're not blind. Well, you _are_ legally blind, but you only have severe cataracts. 

So you've been walking through the smudge that is Califnoria all day, trying to find English Dock. 

You're not exactly sure why you're going; your superior had merely sent you a braille letter saying you were needed there to collect evidence for a case, and sent you on a jet immediately. 

But he failed to inclose directions! That in itself must be a crime, you think. 

You stop at a crosswalk, able to hazily see the pole. You press the button on it, and it counts down before it's safe to cross. You start walking, but you're rudely bumped into by a dark-skinned woman. 

"Excuse me, if you would kindly watch where you're going," she snaps coolly. You just grin at her. 

After she realizes you're blind and apologizes profusely, you request that she takes you to English Dock. She seems surprised, asking if you're a fashion designer. 

What? "What? No. I'm a prosecutor," you reply slowly, frowning slightly. 

"You are?" she seems surprised.

"Yes, why would you think I'm a fashion designer? I'm blind, remember?" 

Her dark cheeks flush. "Well, it's just--- I was invited to Scratch Island for a fashion expo, so..."

"A fashion expo?" What the hell was a fashion expo doing at the same place you had to collect evidence at...?

"Yes," she replies softly, seeming as confused as you are. You just shrug as you arrive at the dock. Hopefully it's nothing. 

-*-

===> Be the gambling blonde

Your name is Vriska Serket, and you're not just a blonde, you're a platinum blonde. And it's 100% natural too, thank you very much. 

Anyway, you are currently on a jet, first class, heading to Sacramento. You could've driven if you really wanted; you only live one state over, in Nevada. But flying was a lot more fun. 

Your plane is currently landing, and you sigh, gathering up your stuff. You're really angry you have to be here but you can't hide from the loan sharks anymore. You've had enough to pay them back for years, but you've just been putting it off, simply because you like money. A lot. 

So you have to fly out to Sacramento, then get on a boat to some fucking island you've never heard of, just to pay off some stupid sharks. 

At times like this, you really hate your life. 

You get off the plane, and walk towards the driver you had arranged to pick you up. 

"Hello, Miss Serket," the man says, lowering his sign and starting to lead you out to the secondhand sedan. 

You merely nod in response, getting in the back of the sedan. You sit on the leather seat, taking out your Blackberry. Five missed calls?! Jesus Christ. 

You check the caller ID: The Bay. Your blue painted lips turn up in a smirk. You haven't even been gone a day, and your casino is already asking for help. 

You call them quickly, getting the buisness all straightened out. You end up firing someone who keeps dipping into customer's winnings, ad when you hang up, you have a massive headache. 

You unzip your bag, take two ibuprofen, and swallow them dry. Then you sigh, leaning back and closing your eyes. 

The driver wakes you a few minutes later. 

"We're here, Miss Serket," he says, getting out and opening your door. You nod at him, hand him eight dollars, and grab your bag as you stare at the sign next to you. English Dock.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yaaaaay second update today :33
> 
> also, im?? not sure how this is goin yet :000 so if you could take a minute and leave even a one sentance comment saying if you liked it or not or whatever, i would be eternally grateful :'u


	5. Chapter 5

===> Be Nepeta's best friend

Your name is Equius Zahhak, and you're driving to English Dock to meet up with Nepeta. 

The tiny Korean girl had asked if you wanted to meet up with her this weekend, and suggested some place named Scratch Island. You'd immediately agreed, even if California was a bit far from Rhode Island. 

But you've been driving for days and days in your Hummer, and you've just entered Sacramento. You're looking around quickly for English Dock, wanting to see Nepeta as soon as you can. 

You grip the steering wheel tightly, eyes darting around. You haven't seen her face to face in years, and you've hardly had time to send her anything but a quick text nowadays, what with how much your mechanic's shop has been booming. 

Your phone buzzes in the seat next to you, and as you're at a stoplight, you take a moment to check it. 

INCOMING TEXT FROM: Nepeta Leijon 

MESSAGE: :33 where are you, equius?!

You tap out a quick reply, then start driving. 

Your phone buzzes frantically a few more times, but you don't check it. You don't want to get into a wreck. 

You finally see a sign reading English Dock, and--- there's no empty parking spaces? You grit your teeth, exhaling through your nose, and make a u-turn, searchimg for a parking lot. 

You spot one after a bit and pull in. You park, turning off the hummer and, mopping your brow on the back of a hand, retrieve your duffle bag from the back. You're shutting the door when a rusted purple truck pulls up to you, and a man steps out. 

He's taller than you, which is impressive; you push 6-feet. He's as skinny as a rail, though, with a gaunt, angular face. His features aren't all that pleasing, but he's still attractive somehow; his eyes are hooded, and his high cheekbones are well defined. 

His hair is an unruly mop of dark curls, sticking up and running down onto his shoulders. Greasy makeup is smeared across his cheeks, and he lazily pushes a curl out of his eyes with a large hand. He glances around, and his eyes light on you. You begin to sweat. 

He strolls over, smiling faintly. He stops next to you, a purple carpet bag in hand, and even though usually only girls carry carpet bags, it seems to fit him well. 

"Well, hey there, motherfucker," he drawls, voice thick with an implacable accent. 

"Hello," you say politely, staring down at your worn cleats from behind scratched sunglasses. 

"And where are you motherfuckin' headed this fine sunny day?" he asks, still smiling lazily. 

"E-english Dock." Did you just stutter? Oh dear. 

His hooded eyes widen, and now you can see that they're an unusual shade of purple. 

"Really? Well, I'll be damned; that's where I'm up and headed, too, motherfucker!" he exclaims, clapping you on the shoulder. "We'd best thank our mirthful messiahs for this motherfuckin' miracle, my bro!"

You nod slowly. "Would you like to walk with me down to the dock?" you ask, starting to prespire more heavily. 

He nods with all the eagerness of a puppy. "Of course, motherfucker," he says, starting to walk. 

You two both walk across the street to the dock, you half-listening as he rambles about "motherfuckin' miracles" and "mirthful messiahs" and "the ICP". 

He suddenly stops at the sign reading English Dock. 

"Woah, bro; I never up and got your motherfuckin' name!" 

"Equius. Zahhak," you say, staring at him. 

He grins at you, though it looks more like a leer for some reason. "You can call me Gamzee... bro."

-*-

===> Be the Makara

No. There is no way you're being Gamzee. 

===> This isn't up for debate

Yes it is! Gamzee is not somebody you ever want to be. Ever!

===> You're going to have to be him at some point

Yeah, but not now. 

===> Fine. Be the pompous asshole 

Your name is Eridan Ampora, and you resent that. 

You've just landed in your private jet, and god, you have horrible jet lag. If you told anyone you had jet lag from flying from Maine to California, they'd laugh, but you're just very sensitive. 

You step off the jet, houndstooth suitcase in hand. You look around, flick a lock of chestnut hair out of your eyes and step down the stairs. After you go through the airport, you find your chauffeur, and he leads you to the small limo. 

You sit in the back, turning your nose up slightly. You're a bit agitated that you had to come all the way out here, but someone on your photography website said they were willing to pay a lot of money for pictures of some island called Scratch Island. You immediately jumped on the offer. 

Not that you're poor or anything; no, you're in fact very wealthy. Your father is a retired Commander of the Marine Corps., and you had money to burn. 

But you didn't want to live on your dad's money. You wanted to pursue a career in photography. 

And that brought you here. All the way out to Sacramento, California. 

You sigh, glaring out the window. Your phone buzzes and you check it, an eyebrow quirking up. 

Just a message from a game you play. Nothing important. You sigh, ignoring it. You never get texts from anyone except your dad, despite the fact that you have more contacts in your phone than an entire goddamned Yellowpages. 

It's... kind of depressing, actually. 

The limo parks in a lot, but as you look up from your Galaxy, you only see a Holiday Inn in front of you. The chauffeur steps out and crosses, opening your door. 

"Where's the dock?" you ask, stepping out and raising an eyebrow. 

"Just across the street, sir," he replies, taking out your bag and handing it to you. You put the phone in the back pocket of your black skinny jeans and nod. 

"Alright. Thank you," you say, handing him a ten dollar bill before turning on your heel and starting to walk across the street to the dock. 

-*-

===> Be the beach queen

Your name is Feferi Peixes, and you are indeed the beach queen!

Your boat just docked in the port just off of Sacramento, and luckily, it's only a short distance to English Dock! 

After hearing there was a new species of fish discovered their, your team had elected you to go and check it out! The work of a marine biologist is never done. 

You stretch, long brown curls bouncing as you grin happily and start down the sidewalk, tyrian luggage in tow. Walking is good for the heart. You never drove or flew anywhere; you preferred to swim, to be honest, or walk, but since it's nothing short of impossible to swim from Hawaii to Sacramento, you took a boat. Which is the next best thing. 

You look around as you walk towards the dock; California sure is different than Hawaii! It's been a while since you've stepped foot in the continental United States, and you intend to make the most of it. 

You nod happily to yourself, ligh blue eyes sparkling. You hurry up, bounding across the sidewalk to get to English Dock, and---

You crash right into someone. 

The man swears loudly, falling down and dropping his houndstooth bag with a thud. 

You gasp. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" you exclaim, helping him up. 

"Yeah, well--" he seems about to launch into a tirade, but stops as he sees you. You stare at him. 

His chestnut hair is expertly styled, and there's a purple streak in his bangs. Two hazel eyes stare at you from behind a pair of frames, and his skin is lightly tanned. Despite the fact that it's almost 100° degrees, he's wearing a blue and purple flannel, a black scarf, and black skinny jeans. 

"Uh," he says dumbly, before blinking. "Sorry."

"No, that was my fault," you say, biting your lower lip. "I should've watched where I was going, I was just so excited to get here," you say, gesturing to the sign next to you 

He squints at you. "You're goin' a English Dock too?"

You nod quickly. "Yes!" you say, a little surprised he's going as well. 

"Interestin'." he says simply, then reaches out. "I'll take your bag, if you want."

You nod, handing him the bag and pausing briefly to wonder why he was here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> part one is now finished >:]
> 
> we start the actual drama in the next chapter hoo hoo


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YEEHAW PART TWO 
> 
> LET THE MYSTERY BEGIN >;33

PART TWO  
FEATURING: Scratch Island, a newfound female protagonist, the first death, and the number zero

===> Be Gamzee 

No. 

===> You avoided it last time, now just do it

But Gamzee's an unreliable narrator, and this chapter's important 

===> _Jesus Christ_. Be Karkat 

You are now Karkat Vantas, and what the hell. 

You're standing on the little wooden dock by the name of English Dock, and you're pretty sure there aren't supposed to be this many people here. 

You've counted twelve people here, including yourself. You scowl, leaning against a wall, when suddenly someone appears by your side. 

"You're Karkat Vantas," she breathes, lavendar eyes wide. You raise a thick black eyebrow. 

"Yeah. So?" 

"I," her face lights up, "I love your work," she gushes. You flush faintly. She holds up one of your books. 

"I was wondering..." she hands it and a pen to you. You nod and roll your eyes, signing the inside cover quickly. 

She almost squeals in joy before composing herself, suddenly looking dignified. "I'm Rose. Lalonde," she introduces herself, holding a pale hand out. You shake it briefly. 

"So, Mister Vantas." Shit, she sounds exactly like a therapist. "I hear you're a marriage counselor. And you write romance novels! But you don't even have a girlfriend... Why is that?"

You flush again, more deeply. "Are you trying to hit on me?"

She looks a bit affronted. "Of course not! That would be unprofessional of me, and besides," she says, "I'm a lesbian." 

You roll your eyes. "Great. And to answer your question, it's because I haven't... found... the right..." you trail off as someone walks down the steps of the dock. 

She's almost as short as you, and a bit plump. She has auburn hair that falls to her shoulders and flicks up at the end, and a medium complexion, freckles splashed on her  
upturned, pointed nose. She's laughing and grinning as she listens to the dark skinned woman she's next to, and you finally notice the red and white cane in her hand. 

Oh. She's blind. 

The Lalonde chick follows your gaze, and her lips turn up. "I see," she says, before walking away.

You stare at the girl across the dock for a bit longer. You've found your female protagonist. 

===> Be the female protagonist

You are now Terezi Pyrope, and Kanaya sure is funny. 

She idly chattered all the way to the dock about nothing in particular, but you can tell that under her elegant façade, she's extremely nervous for this fashion expo she's attending. 

And it's hilarious. 

You start cackling as you reach the dock, and she turns to you, a bit put-off. 

"Excuse me?"

"Sorry, I just find the way you're trying to hide your nervousness amusing," you grin. She reddens. 

"Well, I... I just want people to like my designs," she admits quietly, embarrassed. You roll your cloudy eyes. 

"People will love them. You _have_ been invited to an expo, remember?"

She nods absently. "Yes, yes... well, I think I'm going to inquire as to when we're departing," she says, smoothing her red skirt before leaving. 

You watch her go, silently grinning a bit. Until...

"Shit, TZ?" 

The grin drops off your face. 

"Dave?" Dammit, why is he here? 

"Why are you here? Did Rose invite you?" he asks, a frown on his face. You frown in confusion. 

"What? No...? Why would she invite me here? I'm here to collect evidence for a case," you say, frowning at him. 

"...so you went to law school, after all, huh?"

"Yes, I did," you say crisply. "What, did you think I was going to go to art school? The only reason I applied was because you wanted to go."

"Ah." He pauses. "Well..."

"Well, what?"

He swallows, then sighs. "Listen, TZ... I was a really big dick about all of that shit in high school..." he awkwardly scratches a freckle on his elbow. "I was wondering..."

You wish he would get to the point; waiting for him to finish was making you want to rip your tongue stud out. 

He's still fumbling, so you interrupt. 

"No, I don't want to try again."

"That wasn't what I was going to ask."

You wait patiently for him to continue. 

"I just wanted to know if you wanted to hook up. You know, just a one night thing. We could screw around, or just makeout a lot, whatever."

You finally smirk at him. "We'll see," you say, before walking towards the line of boats, stomping on his foot for good measure. 

===> Be the ex

You're now Dave Strider, and god-fucking-dammit your high school ex is here. 

You'd bet your records that Rose invited her, just to mess with you. Well, you're not going to let it get to you. 

You find Rose and just as you're about to speak, someone else does, cutting you off. 

"Alright, kiddies; everyone's here now, so get on the goddamned boats!" someone yells from inside a boat. You exhale, sticking to Rose as you walk onto the boat. 

Along with her, a dark-skinned woman, Terezi, and a dark-haired man Rose seems enraptured with get on your boat. 

After everyone's boarded the boats, they start going across the sea. You make idle chatter with Rose, but she's talking to the dark-skinned woman now, and Terezi's flirting with the man next to her. 

You hope he knows what he's getting into. 

After about ten minutes, you come up on an island. Rose falls silent next to you, and you both stare up at the island as the boat is docked. 

"So this is Scratch Island," she says slowly, studying the rocky island. Thick forests are scattered around the island, and a large rock juts out over a rocky beach and the crashing waves.

"I guess," you reply, your attention drawn to the large mansion in the middle of the island.

Something about this place tickles your memory, but you just can't place where you've seen this place before. It feels like you've blocked it out. You shrug and get off the boat. Maybe that's for the best.


	7. Chapter 7

===> Be Kanaya

The boats are docking on Scratch Island, and you stare at the mansion near the dock in wonder. It's absolutely beautiful. 

You clutch your bag tightly as you step off the boat, and slowly take a step towards the mansion. 

Your thoughts are interrupted by someone yelling. 

"Hey! Where the fuck are you going?! How are we supposed to get back?!" You turn and see the short, scruffy haired boy that was on your boat yelling at the small boats. The boats that are currently sailing away. 

"We dock here every morning at seven, except when the weather's bad," yells one of the captains, continuing to sail away. 

You all watch them leave, then turn to face one another. 

"Shall we?" the blonde girl, Rose, asks, and starts towards the mansion. 

===> Kanaya: Approach mansion

The mansion is a faded dark green, and the sign out in front says "Felt Mansion" in loopy white letters. 

_What is with all the strange names here?_ , you wonder as you approach the front door. Suddenly, the group stops. 

"What's the hold up?" the short shouty boy demands from the back, where he's keeping Terezi company. 

"Hold your horses," the girl who stopped the group says. She rips something off the door. 

"There's a note," she explains crisply, flicking a lock of platinum hair out of her eyes. She scans it once before starting to read it. 

_"Dear tenants,"_ she reads loudly, _"Welcome to Scratch Island. I do hope all of you enjoy your stay. Scratch Island is a wonderful place, for all to enjoy._

_"Our island is full of wildlife; go hunting and fishing at your leisure! Fishing rods are in the shed behind the mansion. Enclosed, you will find a map of the mansion, and the surrounding grounds._

_"I am sorry to inform all of you that there is no wi-fi on the grounds, nor is there any cell phone reception. I'm also sorry to inform that all events this weekend have been cancelled; but I do hope you all enjoy your stay._

_Sincerely..._ " She stops reading there. 

_"Sincerely who?!"_

_"The name is rubbed off," the blonde snaps back. "Anyway, this is bullshit. I'm going back." she starts to storm towards the dock._

_"The boats don't come back until tomorrow morning," you find yourself saying. She stops, and scowls at you._

_"Then what the hell are we supposed to do until then?!"_

_You pause. "We might as well get settled," you say gently. She fumes, but stomps back towards the house._

_"Fine."_

_=== > Kanaya: Get settled _

_The mansion is beautiful inside, to say the least._

_On the ground floor is a kitchen and adjacent dining room, and a library with comfortable-looking leather sofas. There's a door to the side that apparently leads down to a cellar of somesort, and there's a spiral staircase that leads upstairs._

_On the second floor are eight bedrooms, and on the third are eight more._

_The men quickly claim the third floor for themselves, so you and your fellow women take the bedrooms on the second._

_There are three bedrooms on one side, and five on the other; you claim them as follows: Aradia, Rose, Terezi; on the other side is Jade, Feferi, Nepeta, yourself, and Vriska._

_The inside of your room is burgundy, with elegant yet dusty furnishings._

_You set your suitcase down on the bed, and peer out the grimy window to it's left. The island grounds are beautiful. There's a thick forest that goes on and on behind the mansion, and then a rocky beach to it's right. A smooth slab of rock is jutting out over the ocean, and it looks like someone could easily scale it._

_You sigh and smile faintly to yourself, taking out a pair of green boots. Since your expo has been cancelled, you might as well go exploring._

_=== > Be a male_

_You are now John Egbert._

_Gosh, Felt Mansion sure is beautiful! Your room is done up in blue and gold, with a four-poster bed in the very middle._

_You and the other guys had set up on the third floor. There were four bedrooms on each side, and they had been claimed as follows: on the left was Dave, Tavros, Gamzee, and you, then on the right was Equius, Karkat, Sollux, and Eridan._

_You finish unpacking your stuff and sprawl out on the bed, wiggling your toes inside the socks._

_You lie there for a bit before getting up and running out of the room. You almost trip over Equius, who is holding a bow, a quiver of arrows on his back. Next to him is a tiny Korean girl. What was her name? Natalie?_

_"Oh, excuse me," he says quietly, reaching up to wipe his brow._

_"It's fine," you dismiss, grinning at him. He seems a bit put off for a moment._

_"I would like to inform you that Nepeta and I are going hunting in the woods. We should be back by dinner," he says softly, and the girl at his side nods._

_"Alright," you say, "Have fun!" And with that you walk past them, towards the spiral staircase._

_You slide down the banister until you get to the ground floor. Most people are in the library, either reading or messing around on their laptops._

_You walk in slowly, pausing under the archway._

_"Anyone wanna go on a walk?" you ask, breaking the quiet. Nobody replies, until a platinum blonde girl approaches you._

_"I'll go on a walk, if only to get out of this fucking house," she gripes, crossing her arms over her chest._

_"Alright; I'm John." You stick out a hand for her to shake, and she grips it firmly, smirking at you._

_"I'm Vriska," she says, before releasing your hand._

_=== > John: Take the pretty lady on a walk _

_You wouldn't call Vriska a lady; she's too brash, too crude. But she _is_ very pretty, in an edgy sort of way. _

_Even though her body is built like a pancake and she's almost a foot taller than you, she's got the most piercing cerulean eyes, which are brought out with the matching lipstick. Her platinum hair is completely natural, she boasts, and she also gave herself her own snakebite piercings._

_The two of you are currently walking through the forest, staying on the beaten path. She's got her hands shoved in the front pockets of her jeans, and she pauses every so often to investigate something that catches her interest._

_"Look at this!" she exclaims suddenly, walking over to a tree. You follow idly, assuming she's just found a pretty beetle like she did a few minutes ago._

_"Joooooooohn!" she exclaims, "Seriously, look!"_

_You look at the tree, frowning a bit as you see the large O carved into it._

_"Why is there an O on the tree...?" you wonder aloud, reaching forward to touch it. Your finger traces around it, and then you rap on it with your knuckles. It sounds hollow._

_You exchange a glance with Vriska, then, gripping the inner edges of the circle, you pull. It comes swinging forward, and a plume of dust is belched out at you._

_You fall on your rump, coughing hard as Vriska retrieves an item from inside of the tree._

_"What is it?" you ask between coughs._

_"It's... a book?" she sounds curious, and starts flipping through the book._

_"What's it say?"_

_She stops at a random page and tries to read it, then grunts angrily. "It's in a foreign language; I have no idea what is says," she gripes, staring at the lettering. You peer at it, raising your eyebrows. On the page is a bunch of squiggles and lines; you have no clue what language it's in, nevermind what it says._

_"Maybe we should leave it here?" you suggest softly. She sighs dramatically._

_"Fine." She puts the book back into the hole and shuts the little door. She digs the map out of her back pocket._

_"I'm going to mark this spot on the map, though," she says, X-ing the spot with her blue pen. You nod._

_"Well, should we keep walking?" you suggest. She nods, tucking the map back in her back pocket._

_"Let's go."_


	8. Chapter 8

===> Be a girl again

You are now Terezi Pyrope. You're currently wandering around the girl's floor.

You're at the end of the hallway, near you're room. You find it a bit strange that there are three rooms on one side and five on the other, while the third floor has four on each side. 

"TZ." You internally groan and turn around to face Dave. 

"Hey, Dave," you say quietly, leaning back against the wall. He looks a bit uneasy as he takes another step closer to you. 

"What're you doing up here?" he asks softly, furrowing his brow. You shrug. 

"Nothing, really."

He exhales. "Listen, TZ. I royally fucked up our relationship. I know that," he says quietly, "But I still want to be your friend. I do." 

You're a bit surprised; Dave rarely shows emotion, but he's exuding regret right now. 

"...You do?"

He nods. "I really do. You're cool, Rezi." You flush a tiny bit and grin at him. 

"Fine."

"We're cool?"

"Yeah, we're cool," you grin at him, and he gives you a small smile. 

"Awesome."

===> Terezi: Tell coolkid about the bedrooms 

"So hey, I noticed something weird about the bedrooms on this floor," you say to him. 

"What'd you notice?"

"That there's five on one side... and only three on another," you inform him. He just stares at you. You sigh. 

"Granted, this wouldn't be odd normally... but on the boy's floor, there's four on each side," you say. "I checked myself."

He frowns a bit. "That is a little odd," he murmurs, looking around the hallway. You nod. 

"That's what I thought."

"But, TZ. This is a really old mansion, right? Well, what if the third floor was built on later? And it was decided to put four on each side?"

You nod slowly. His explanation sounds plausible enough, but something still seems off to you...

He can tell you're still thinking about this, so he puts a hand on your shoulder. 

"C'mon. Let's go down to the beach or something." He pauses. "As friends." You nod. Why not?

===> Be Gamzee

You can't be Gamzee because he's sleeping. 

===> Gamzee: Wake up

Goddammit. 

You are now Gamzee Makara, and you've just woken up from the weirdest dream of your entire motherfucking life. 

You were with everyone, everything was normal, except that no matter what you did, how hard you tried, you couldn't speak. 

People started dropping like flies; blood painted the floors and walls, and a trial was held. 

You were found guilty. 

You were to be hung. You stood up on the creaking gallows, in the center of the woods. The remaining survivors huddled around you, fear etched into their faces. 

Someone asked if you had any last words, and you couldn't even open your mouth to get the words out. 

Then she pulled the rusting lever and you swear you've seen those fiery red locks before, you swear you've seen that grin before, you swear---

and then you woke up. 

You wipe the sweat from your forehead, your makeup smearing on the back of your hand. 

You stand slowly, your baggy sweatpants bunching around your bare ankles. You can feel tendrils of anger licking at your mind, so you crouch by your carpet bag, opening it with a click. 

You roll yourself a joint and light it with a match, leaning against the brass frame of your bed. You close your eyes, letting the weed soothe yourself. 

It was just a dream. 

===> Be Rose Lalonde

You're currently in the library, staring up at the expansive shelves. 

The library is extremely beautiful; floor to ceiling bookshelves chock full of thick, leather-bound books. There are comfortable leather and suede couches and chairs, next to dark wood end tables with copper lamps. In the center of the room is an aging pool table. 

You and Karkat had come down to the library together, discussing modern literature. He is now plopped in a maroon arm chair, typing furiously on his aging laptop. 

You're staring up at the shelves, but not for something to read; no, you're staring up at a marble bust that's on one of the shelves. You reach up, taking it down.

It seems like a normal bust at first glance; a head, topped with tufty hair. The head is balanced on a neck that leads to a suit-encased torso cut-off. But the face...

There is no face. There are clearly defined cheekbones and browlines, but there are no eyebrows, eyes; no nose, no lips. It's just blank. 

You turn it over, staring at the base of the bust. There's the reminants of a sticker, possibly a price tag, and then a number 0 carved into the base. 

You raise your eyebrows, a bit confused. What on earth did this mean?

You set the bust back on the shelf, sighing. It probably meant nothing at all. You turn around to see Karkat looking at you. 

"What?" you ask, a bit defensively. He scowls, flushing a bit. 

"I was just curious as to why you were so interested in that stupid sculpture, jeez," he says irritably, hitting the enter button with more force than necessary. 

"Well, the facial features are missing," you reply, crossing over to stand in front of him, "And there's a zero carved into the bottom." He frowns pensively. 

"Really...?"

You nod. "I wonder what it could mean..."

"Probably nothing," he replies, turning back to his laptop. You sigh. 

"I suppose…" 

===> Rose: Time for dinner!

Somehow you, with the help of a Mexican boy named Tavros, manage to herd everyone up. 

You and Kanaya are put on kitchen duty, and John volunteers himself as well. You three whip up a quick meal of beef tips, scalloped potatoes, and green beans from the cans in the pantry, and Eridan goes into the cellar and comes back with a few bottles of fine wine.

You all sit around the large table, which has exactly sixteen seats. You pretend you don't find this strange as you all get acquainted with each other. 

You learn everyone's name and what they're supposed to be doing on the island; unfortunately, nobody's been able to do their mission. 

"So, why the fuck were our events all cancelled?" Karkat demands, sipping at his water. He doesn't drink, apparently. 

"That is a mystery," you admit, sipping at your merlot.

"It's weird that everyone's has been cancelled," Terezi chimes in, downing her fifth glass of wine. She's still coherent; is she a heavy drinker?

"Especially mine," she continues, "I was here to gather evidence for some case, but..." she shrugs, refilling her wine glass. 

Everyone dwells on this for a moment.

"Maybe... we were set up?" Nepeta says slowly. 

"Set up?" Eridan seems startled. "For what, exactly?" 

"I don't know! Maybe we all have something in common," she says, biting her lower lip and sipping her milk. Equius hadn't let her have anything alcoholic. 

You take a moment to turn this over. "But what? We all have drastically different professions, except for you and Tavros, and only a select few of us know each other... I fail to see what could link us together."

She nods slowly. 

"Well it's not like it matters," Vriska says brusquely, "Because we're all leaving tomorrow morning."

Everyone nods at this, and Terezi stands. 

"Well, this was a fun discussion. Thanks for dinner, ladies. And John." She dusts off her red booty shorts. "I'm going for a walk."

Karkat stands upbruptly, his chair toppling over. He blushes furiously and straightens it quickly. 

"I'm coming with you," he says, hurrying over to join her. Everyone rolls their eyes, and the two depart. 

You stand as well. "I think I'm going to turn in," you say softly, before leaving the room and heading up for bed. 

You slowly climb the stairs, going to your room and closing the door. You change clothes quickly, yawning softly as you turn out the light and climb into bed. 

===> Rose: Sleep

You fall into a dreamless sleep...

===> Rose: Wake up to the sound of screaming


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the first death!!!

===> Be Karkat Vantas

You are now Karkat, and god _daaaaaamn_ Terezi is a good kisser. 

Night has fallen on Scratch Island, and Terezi has you pinned against a boulder as she kisses you deeply. 

Being the virgin-lipped fool you are, you had floundered through the first minute of the kiss without knowing what to do. But then your hands instinctively found her waist, and you mouth suddenly knew what to do. 

So now you're kissing her passionately, your lips moving together, and--- she has a tongue stud? _Fuck_ , that's hot. 

She breaks off after a second, giggling at you. 

"What?" you ask defensively, still holding her waist. 

"Nothing," she smirks, burying her face in the crook of your neck and starting to nibble at it. You shiver, letting a tiny noise of pleasure. 

You suddenly hear rustling from the bushes in front of you. 

"Terezi," you whisper. She doesn't stop sucking on your neck, hellbent on giving you a hickey. 

"Terezi," you say again, pushing her away as gently as possible. 

"What?" she asks, annoyed. 

"Do you hear that?" The bushes rustle again, and her cloudy eyes widen. 

"Yeah--- it's... probably just an animal?" she suggests weakly, moving closer to you. 

"I don't think so..." 

Suddenly, an arrow comes shooting out of nowhere, and thwonks the boulder right next to your head. 

===> Karkat: Scream

You scream loudly, falling down. Terezi lets out a little shriek as well, jumping. 

"Oh, shit!" someone shrieks from the bushes, and out pop Equius and Nepeta. 

"Nepeta, watch your language," Equius chastises, and the tiny girl sticks her tongue out. 

Terezi starts laughing loudly, an you groan, currently curled up in the fetal position. You sit up. 

"What the fuck is your problem? Why did you try to kill me?!" you screech, standing and dusting off your butt. Equius starts to sweat, his face illuminated by the moon. 

"It was an accident. My deepest apologies," he whispers, wiping his brow with the towel around his neck. 

You scowl at him. "You almost killed me!" Terezi's still cackling, so you turn your scowl towards her. 

"Hey! How would you feel if I just got shot with an arrow?!" She pauses. "Not very good," you say haughtily, turning your nose up at her slightly. She rolls her eyes.

"Well, I doubt you'll be shot with an arrow anytime soon," she replies, "But I would feel shitty if you did." She gives you a quick peck on the lips, and you flush slightly. 

"Whatever, just---" you're cut off as a loud, bloodcurdling scream resounds through the forest. A flock of birds is startled and takes off. 

The four of you are completely silent. 

"What... was that?" you whisper, eyes wide.

"It sounds like someone's hurt!" Nepeta sounds alarmed, eyes wide. 

"It came from that way," Terezi points in the direction of the mansion. 

===> Karkat: Run 

You and the other three start running in the direction of the mansion.

You then split up into groups of two; you and Terezi, and Nepeta and Equius. They go to search the front, and you to the back. 

"I hope everything's okay," Terezi whispers, as Rose and Kanaya suddenly appear. 

"Did you hear that?" Kanaya asks the two of you, holding a flashlight. 

You nod. "We were out in the woods with Nepeta and Equius, and we heard someone scream, so we came back to see what happened..."

Kanaya nods as well. "I see. We should keep looking, then," she says softly, looking around. 

The four of you poke around, eventually stopping in front of the woodshed. 

There's an old lock on the shed, and it seems intact, albeit rusted over. 

"Perhaps that scream was nothing?" Kanaya says softly. Rose shakes her head. 

"Nobody can scream like that without something being wrong," she says quietly, taking the flashlight and pointing it around. She suddenly stops. 

"What's that?" she whispers abruptly, pointing the beam of light towards the back of the shed. There's a small splotch of dark liquid on the ground and creeping up on the wood. 

Your blood runs cold. 

"We should check it out," Kanaya says uneasily, and Terezi grips your hand too tightly. 

"I smell blood," she whispers, clutching your hand. You both follow Rose and Kanaya to the back of the woodshed, and you scream at what you see. 

Jade is lying there in a puddle of blood on her stomach. Her torso is completely hacked up, and a bloodstained axe sticks out of her mutilated backside.

You scream again, loudly, and let go of Terezi's hand. You run into the woods and empty your stomach, and you can vaguely hear the others do the same. 

You stumble back a moment *moment* later, wiping the vomit off from around your mouth. You try not to look at the body, and instead stare at Kanaya. 

"Somebody killed her," you say hoarsely. 

"She's been... wounded too many times for it to have been an accident," she murmured quietly. 

"But who...?" you ask, as Terezi hugs you tightly. 

Kanaya bites her lip. "I don't know."

===> Karkat: Hold meeting

You manage to round everybody up, except for Jade of course, and you all sit in the library. 

Most people don't know what's happened, and more than one looks annoyed at being called to a meeting at 10 at night. 

"You're all probably wondering why you've been called here," Kanaya says softly, standing at the front of the room. 

"Damn straight!" Vriska yells, tugging on the end of her oversized jersey. Judging from the eyemask on the top of her head, she had been asleep. 

Kanaya frowns at her. "Well, I'm sorry to disrupt you, but somebody has just been murdered." Vriska's eyes widen, then narrow. 

"Bullshit," she says, standing. "I'm going back to bed."

"Sit down," Kanaya says firmly, and Vriska reluctantly returns to her spot on a red leather sofa. 

"If none of you believe me, you can see for yourself." Nobody gets up. 

"Who was it? That got killed, I mean," Tavros says slowly, looking around. Everyone else looks around as well, trying to figure out who it is. 

John is the first. All the blood drains out of his face, and he seems a bit sick. 

"Jade..." Everyone turns and looks at him, and Vriska jumps slighty when he bursts into tears next to her. 

She awkwardly starts to rub his back, not good at being able to soothe people. 

"There, there... It's alright..." she says slowly, patting his back. Everyone else is silent, in shock that Jade is now dead. 

"An animal got 'er er something... right?" Eridan asks slowly from his chair. Kanaya shakes her head grimly. 

"I'm afraid not."

"Then how...?"

"Someone murdered her," she says quietly, and John lets out a wail. 

Eridan pales. "W-what?" he stutters, "Are yeh sure? Could it've been 'n accident?"

"Unless someone hitting her in the back over and over with an axe is an accident, I'm afraid not," she murmurs, and John lets out a scream of anguish. 

You stare at the Oriental rug beneath your feet. 

"So there's a murderer among us..." Rose says quietly. Everyone looks terrified, and Terezi squeezes your hand, narrowing her own eyes. 

"Hopefully," Rose continues, "This was merely an accident... at any rate, I think we should inform the authorities."

"Allow me," Terezi says calmly. "I worked as a cop for a few years before becoming a prosecutor." You wonder briefly why she stopped. 

She digs out her Emporia Essence phone and tries dialing 911. She lowers it a moment later. 

"No reception," she murmurs, remembering the letter stapled to the door. Rose and Kanaya exchange glances. 

"What service provider do you have?" Kanaya asks. 

"T-Mobile."

"Alright; who has AT&T?" Tavros, Feferi, and you slowly raise your hands. "Try calling."

Tavros shakes his head a moment later. "Nope."

"Who has Verizon?" Equius, Eridan, and John raise their hands. 

"No go," Eridan says. 

"Sprint?" Nepeta, Rose and Dave raise their hands. 

"Nada." 

"Alright," Kanaya's trying not to panic. "Everyone, just try calling."

A moment passes; nobody gets through. 

"This is stupid," Vriska announces, standing. "I'm going back to bed." She leaves the room quickly.

Everyone watches her go. 

"We can call the police tomorrow morning, when we get back to the mainland," Rose says calmly. "I would reccomend everyone sleeps with a buddy tonight." 

Everyone stands up, finding a buddy. You turn to Terezi, and she nods at you. 

Slowly, the two of you head up to your room. Neither of you feel like being alone, so you just lie down in your bed together. You wrap your arms around her, holding her close as you try to fall asleep. 

Earlier, you had wanted desperately to get her in bed; but not like this.


	10. Chapter 10

PART THREE  
FEATURING: some missing boats, a bad dream, two more deaths, and a thief 

===> Be Sollux

You are now Sollux. 

You're up in your room with Aradia, the plump ginger you had recently become acquainted with. She's kind, and independant, and isn't afraid to say when you screwed up. 

"So who do you think killed her?" Aradia asks softly, red lips turned down in a frown. 

You glance up from her over your laptop. "I dunno. Does it matter?"

"Of course it matters!" she exclaims, "One if us is a killer."

You exhale slowly. "Well, whoever killed her used an axe, right? There should've been a blood backsplash... but nobody was wearing bloody clothes." 

"They probably changed their clothes," she replies, then her face lit up like she had an idea. She stands up, ginger curls tumbling down her back. 

"Wait, Terezi used to be a cop, right? And she was supposed to come here to collect evidence, right?" she asks, eyes wide. You nod slowly. 

"Maybe she brought some luminol fluid with her!" 

"Okay, but what the fuck is that," you ask flatly. 

"It's this spray that shows where blood has been, even if it's been wiped up," she explains, grinning. 

"You wanna go ask her if she has it?" you ask. She nods eagerly. 

"Come with me!"

"Fine."

===> Sollux: Go see Terezi

You walk with Aradia down to Karkat's room. You knock twice, and there are some fumbling sounds before Karkat yells come in. 

You push open the door. They both have spectacular sex hair, and Karkat's face is flushed. It looks like they both hurriedly got dressed. You roll your eyes. 

"Nice."

"What the fuck do you want?" Karkat snaps, glaring at you both. 

"I wanted to ask Terezi if she had brought any luminol fluid," Aradia says, and Terezi's eyes light up. 

"That's smart," she comments, grabbing her cane from where it's propped up on the wall and sliding out of bed. You stare at her dragon-print boxers and snort. She laughs as well. 

"I can't guarantee I'll have any, but I might," she says, taking Aradia's arm and hurrying downstairs. You glance at Karkat. 

"Wow. Taking advantage of the blind girl. Nice one," you say, smirking. He flushes angrily, sliding out of bed as well, wearing only some grey boxers. 

"For your information, shitstain, I did not take advantage of her," he snaps, "I like her. A lot. I want to keep seeing her."

You roll your eyes as you approach Terezi's room. 

"I'm sure."

"What the hell?!" Terezi screeches, tearing through her luggage, sending her attorney's badge and spare pantsuits flying. Karkat ducks as a package of Swedish Fish go flying his way. 

"What the fuck?!" he barks, picking up the package and opening it, eating one of the gummy fish. 

"My investigation kit--- it's gone!" she exclaims, eyes wide. Karkat stops midchew.

"What?"

"Someone took it!" she says loudly, standing, "And all that's there is this---" she holds out a piece of paper, and you take it. It's the list of everything that was packed in the kit, including a police radio, rubber gloves, and _luminol fluid_.

"Shit," you hiss, narrowing your eyes, "The kit had luminol fluid."

"Goddammit!" Terezi shrieks loudly, slamming her fists down on either side of her suitcase. She narrows her eyes, and you can almost see her mind racing. 

She stands abruptly, exiting the room. Karkat walks after her quickly, and you and Aradia exchange glances before following. Terezi walks into the library and crouches by the large fireplace. 

The fire has gone out already, the ashes smouldering. She reaches in, taking out a half melted piece of plastic. She stands, hissing through clenched teeth. 

"Someone melted my kit," she whispered tightly. 

"Are you sure?" Aradia asks, eyes wide. Terezi nods. 

"Completely." She drops the plastic and turns on her heel before storming out of the library. Karkat follows hurriedly. 

"So, this means..." Aradia says slowly. 

"Someone's trying to avoid being caught," you reply gravely, "And they're doing a pretty good job, too."

===> Be someone you haven't been in a while

You are now Feferi Peixes, and you're having a horrible dream. 

In your dream you're a murderer. You go around killing people wildly; the wild-haired one gets his head bashed in, his best friend gets hung, the bookish one gets stabbed over and over. 

You laugh as you kill them, blood spattering your clothing. Your eyes sparkle as you're the last one standing, and you stab yourself with the long, golden fruit knife. 

You jolt awake, gasping, sweat rolling down your tanned forehead. 

On the floor next to you is Eridan, still sleeping peacefully. You check to make sure he's still asleep before quietly slipping out of bed, your nightgown hanging loose around your small frame. 

You walk silently down the stairs, going into the kitchen. You need something to eat; you always have bad dreams when you sleep on an empty stomach. 

You wander over to the fruit bowl in the center of the kitchen, and select the pineapple. You go around opening the drawers until you get to the cutlery, then begin looking for the fruit knife. 

Your breathing stops as you draw out the fruit knife, a slender golden blade. Your eyes widen, and you drop it with a clatter. 

It's the knife from your dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comment with your theories i want to know how wrong you are hurhueheueheueh
> 
> also pls send me fanfic requests heck yeah pm me cos my tumblrs down :*


	11. Chapter 11

===> Nepeta: Wake up

You are now Nepeta Leijon, and you've just woken from the most fitful sleep of your life. 

You're clinging to Equius, and he holds you close in his strong arms; there's never been anything romantic between the two of you, but it feels good, safe being in his arms. 

You slowly sit up, biting your lip as you glance at the ornate clock hanging on the wall. It's almost 6:30. You slide out of his arms, and crouch by your suitcase, starting to pack. You can't wait to get off this godforsaken island. 

You brush your short black hair with your fingers, and turns to the bed as Equius stirs. He sits up slowly and puts on his cracked sunglasses before turning to you. 

"Good morning, Nepeta," he murmurs quietly. 

"Morning," you sigh, standing, "You'd better get ready to go. The boats're arriving in thirty minutes." You're too upset to use cat puns. 

He nodds, standing and making up his bed before grabbing his steel grey duffel bag and starting to exit the room. He walks in front of you, holding open doors for you, and you notice that everyone else is getting ready to leave as well. 

You follow Rose and Kanaya, who are hand in hand, down to the dock. You set your luggage down, sitting on it as you wait for the boats to arrive. 

You make small-talk with Feferi, who seems shaken up. The minutes tick by, and 7:00 comes and goes with no sign of the boats. At 7:30, Aradia speaks up. 

"The boats were supposed to come at seven... in the morning, right?" she asks uneasily, and Kanaya nods. 

"They were supposed to..." she murmurs quietly. Everyone grows more anxious as time passes, and around eight, John speaks. 

"Where are the boats?!" he sounds distraught, tears in his eyes. Rose puts a comforting hand on his shoulder. 

"It's alright. They said... they wouldn't come if there was bad weather. Perhaps it's storming back on the mainland," she says softly, trying to soothe him. "We should all head back inside," she continues quietly. 

You nod slowly, standing and picking up your suitcase. Equius stands as well, frowning slightly. 

===> Nepeta: Return to your room 

Despite Equius' protests, you go back to your own room instead of his. 

"I can protect myself," you assure him, as he lingers in the doorway, "I have my pocket knife, remember?" You take out the blue handled knife just to remind him. 

He nods slowly. "Just be careful, Nepeta. I wouldn't want anything to happen to you." He mops his brow, then departs for his room. 

You exhale slowly, closing your eyes as you sit on the edge of your bed. 

You hope that whoever killed Jade had a grudge against her, and didn't just want to kill for fun. 

===> Be Eridan

You are now Eridan Ampora, and you're only a little sorry Jade was killed. 

In the short time that you knew her, Jade came across as very one-deminsional, annoying, and overly cheerful about everything. She was shallow, and despite the fact she was an accomplished botanist, she seemed very airheaded. 

All in all, you think the world is better off without her. 

===> Eridan: Remember

Remember what?

===> What happened years ago

No. You blocked that out for a reason. 

===> Too bad. Years in the past, but not many...

"He's dead," your father says quietly, and your head snaps up. 

"What?" you ask, eyes widening. 

"He was killed." Your father folds the newspaper he's holding in half, puts it on the ottoman, and stands. He gives you a look. 

"Don't tell anyone about this," he says sternly, grey blue eyes flashing. You gulp slightly and nod. 

When your father tells you something, You Do It, no matter what. 

===> Be Tavros 

You are now Tavros, and you're sitting on a ledge. 

You're on that rock that juts out over the crashing waves, and your sidehawk is tousled by the wind as you stare into space. Your eyes are shut, and you just sit there, until you hear footsteps behind you. 

You turn, and you frown a bit as you see Vriska coming closer to you. She's rubbed you the wrong way ever since you met her at the dock, but she also sort of attracts you, in a weird, I'm-Scared-Of-You-But-You're-Hot way. She smirks as she sits next to you, crossing her long fair legs. 

"Hey," she says. 

"Um. Hey," you reply, a bit slowly. Why is she here?

"Whatcha up'ere for?" she asks, not sounding genuinely curious. You shrug slightly. 

"I dunno. It's cool, I guess, and, uh, also, you can see practically the entire island from up here," you answer. She looked bored for the first half of the answer, but then her eyes lit up. 

"You can see the whole island? Really?" she asks. You nod, and she stands. She scans the entire island, then smirks. You really want to know what she's thinking. 

===> Know what she's thinking

You are now Vriska Serket. 

You stand on the smooth rock surface, scanning the island in a cursory manner. You can't help but smirk. 

Aside from the occasional natural imperfection, the island is completely circular. 

You glance at the mansion next. It looks just as oppressive and nasty as it did when you arrived, and your eyebrows arch slightly as you see Terezi exit from the back of the house, Karkat in tow. They head into the woods, and you turn your gaze to the thick foliage next. 

The forest is dense through most of the island, but it thins near the middle, then stops completely to form a clearing. Smack-dab in the middle of the clearing is an old, falling apart rope-and-wood structure, and your curiosity is instantly piqued by the object. 

"What the hell is that?" you wonder aloud, and Tavros follows your gaze. 

"Huh. I, um, don't know. Maybe we should check it out, if you want," he suggests, and you nod. 

"We should," you affirm, and start to scramble down the rocky wall of the cliff. He follows you dutifully, and seems a bit less than enthusiastic. Whatever. 

===> Vriska: Adventure!

You tromp into the woods, Tavros at your side. You've been walking for about ten minutes now, and you're only just starting to breach the forest. 

"How long do you think it'll take to, um, get there?" Tavros asks, about fifteen minutes in. You sigh through your nose. 

"Just a little longer, dork," you reply, and like magic the woods start to thin around you. After a few more minutes of walking and avoiding brambles, you arrive in the clearing. 

The wooden contraption in the center looks eerily like... a set of gallows. You shiver slightly but otherwise don't let it bother you, and venture towards it. 

"I wouldn't, uh, mess with that, if I were you," Tavros calls, still standing at the edge of the clearing. 

"C'mon, loser, it's just some rusty old gallows!"

"Well, um, considering that it's wooden, and, uh, can't rust, that does very little, actually, to soothe me," he replies slowly, but takes a step forward. You roll your eyes, climbing up the creaky wooden steps. 

The nooses are still all hanging from the top plank, you notice, except for one. The platform has been let out there, and the rope dangles further down than most of the others, looking more worn, more stretched. 

A breeze chills you suddenly, as you vividly recall someone suffocating.


	12. Chapter 12

===> Be John 

You are now John Egbert, and you're crying up in your room. 

Your sister, who you hadn't seen in years, has just been gruesomly murdered, and you're trapped on this fucking island. 

You slowly run out of tears, and just remain curled up on the bed. You sigh quietly, not having the energy nor enthusiasum to get up and go do something. 

It's around noon, as the wall clock says from it's spot on the cracked veridion wall. The sun shines through your musty curtains, and you exhale slowly. 

You slowly slide out of bed after a minute, extremely dehydrated. You open the door, and squint slightly as you arrive in the real world. You tiptoe slowly down two flights of stairs, and creep into the kitchen. It's empty. 

You exhale in relief, wiping your brow. You open the cupboard and take out a red-tinted glass, putting it under the faucet. You fill it with water, then turn around. 

You bump into a broad-chested man. You scream, and he grabs you, covering your mouth as you drop your glass of water. The glass shatters on the wooden floor, next to his cleats.

He holds you firmly, no sound escaping from where he holds your mouth with a large hand. You squeeze your eyes shut, preparing to die. 

===> John: Die

Now, why would you do that? 

The man slowly lets go of you, and reaches down. He gingerly picks up the glass shards, nicking his fingers despite his caution. 

"My apologies," Equius murmurs, sweat on his brow. 

"No, no, I just..." you hesitate. Calling him a killer, even indirectly, is extremely rude. He starts to perspire a bit harder. 

"I understand," he says quietly, putting the glass in the waste basket, "I was simply wondering if you'd like to go hunting with me and Nepeta tonight. It's a good way to distract yourself from... unwanted emotions." He shifts uncomfortably, muscles rippling under his tanned skin. You nod slowly. 

"Um... Yeah. I guess I'll go," you say slowly, "What should I bring?" 

"Nothing. I have a gun for you to use..." If possible, he starts to sweat more. "I'm very sorry for the crudeness of the weapon, but I have only a single bow, and Nepeta uses a knife." You shrug. 

"I don't care what I use," you reply, "Just so long as I'm distracted."

===> Be the killer

You are now the killer. 

You smirk to yourself as you wipe the ashes from your fingers. Another deed done. 

You were exceedingly careful this time; someone had almost caught you last night when you burnt the kit. But you managed to return to your room in time, before your "buddy" woke up. 

And, as far as you can tell, nobody suspects you yet. 

You smirk, slowly standing as you take out a small vial. The clear liquid inside fills it to the brim, and you make your way to the kitchen. 

The room is empty, but plates line the table. You empty the contents of the bottle onto one of the plates, not caring who got it. You slipped out the back door as you heard footsteps approaching and grinned, making your way back to the front of the house. 

Time for dinner. 

===> Be Rose 

You are now Rose Lalonde. 

You make your way back into the dining room, where you had just set out dinner for everyone. A cluster of people follow behind you, and you all take a seat around the table. 

You vaguely notice that there are only fifteen chairs now. You shiver. 

Everyone starts eating after a moment. 

"An excellent meal, Rose," Kanaya compliments you, taking a bite of a sundried tomato. You smile faintly. 

"Thank you. It was difficult, preparing a decent meal... the pantry is a bit understocked," you say softly. She nods, and the dinner passes on in relative silence. 

"You know what's odd?" Terezi says suddenly, chewing a bite of steak pensively. 

"What now?" Vriska asks dryly, and Terezi frowns. 

"I keep hearing scratching noises from behind a wall in my room," she says. Everyone falls silent. 

"Could it be the person in the room next to you?" Kanaya asks, and the attorney shakes her head. 

"No, it's coming from the opposite side," Terezi replies. 

"'s prolly just a squirrel, TZ," Dave says from your side. She shrugs, clearly unsatisfied with this answer. 

"It sounds too big to be a squirrel..."

"A skunk then. Or a 'coon. Or a---"

You never get to hear what else it could be, because from your side, John starts coughing. Everyone is quiet and looks at him as he hacks. 

"John? You okay?" Dave asks slowly, frowning. John answers by coughing harder, his face turning red. Vriska, seated next to him, slowly starts patting his back, to perhaps help him dislodge the food in his throat. 

"Drink some water," Kanaya suggests, and John grabs his glass. He guzzles his entire water, and then his coughing abruptly stops as he slumps over the table, face-down in his food. It's completely silent for a moment before Feferi screams, and pandemonium breaks out. 

Everyone gets up, freaking out. You lift John out of his food, eyes wide, and get him onto the floor. Nepeta takes charge, running over. 

"I know what to do," she says, getting on her knees and starting to do CPR while Tavros checks his vitals. A few chaos-filled moments pass before the Korean girl slowly stops. She doesn't look up. 

"He's dead."

Someone, you think Feferi, screams again, and Dave says _oh shit_. You stand up quickly. 

"Everyone calm down!" you yell, and everyone manages to stop losing their shit, at least. You inhale shakily.

"This... somebody probably just had something against the Egbert-Harley family, and enacted their revenge here," you say slowly. Silence follows, before Feferi slowly speaks. 

"So this means... None of us are going to die?" her voice quivers, and she looks about to burst into tears. You nod. 

"They both died, one after another. This means that someone wanted to kill _them_..." you trail off slowly, and to your relief, everyone nods. You clear your throat before continuing. 

"Nevertheless, I suggest everyone sleep with a buddy again, and don't venture off alone, so as to not appear guilty," you say, and everyone nods again. Nobody has an appetite anymore, so you leave the dining room, a few people following behind. 

You go into the library. The fire is dying down, so you reach for a tong and poke at it slowly. Someone has just added kindling, it seems. You squint, trying to make out what it is, because it doesn't look like a log. Your eyes widen as you see what it is. 

A dining chair. 

===> Night: Fall 

Night has already fallen; it's already 9:30!

===> Well, alright. Be Equius 

You are now Equius, and you and Nepeta are venturing out into the woods again for a nice distracting hunt. 

She's talking about anything and everything in order to distract both of you from John's sudden death. 

"And don't you think Karkat is cute?" she asks, blushing faintly. You turn to look at her. 

"Pardon?" You must have misheard her; Karkat Vantas is nothing but a rude little ruffian. Nepeta deserves better. 

"Karkat. He's very sweet, and cute, and gosh..." she blushes again, eyes sparkling in the moonlight. You start to sweat. This isn't good. 

"Nepeta, that man is an imbecil," you say shortly, facing forward again and adjusting the quiver on your back. She frowns. 

"No, he's not! Karkitty is absolutely purrfect," she giggles, and you scowl. At least she's feeling better; enough to start making cat puns again. 

"Nepeta, I must ask that you do not try to court this man," you say, wiping your forehead. "He's not worthy of you." She scoffs. 

"But Equius! I really like him..." she says, then gets a mischevious look in her eye. "And I saw how you looked at Miss Megido." Your eyes widen behind your sunglasses, and oh drat. Your shirt is almost soaked with sweat. 

"I--- I would never look at Megido. She is--- she is beneath me," you say steadily. "She plays in the dirt for a living. I could never court someone such as her." Nepeta just sticks her tongue out at you.

"Alright, alright," she says, dropping the subject of romance. You're glad; you didn't want to tell her how you walked in on Karkat making out with Terezi in the library.


	13. Chapter 13

===> Be Rose

You are now Rose Lalonde, and you're talking with Terezi. 

You managed to pry Karkat away from her long enough to usher the blind girl into your room, and shut and lock the door. Kanaya was given the task of entertaining Karkat, and Terezi is currently sitting in the overstuffed armchair in your room. 

"So why'd you even make me come here?" she asks, chewing a piece of gum and cracking it loudly. You wince slightly. As professional as the prosecutor is in public-- and you know, you've seen her in court-- she's rather crass in private. 

"Because I think we need to decide whom the killer is," you say calmly. She nods. 

"Yeah. I don't think it's someone just after John and Jade," she replies. 

"Why do you think that?" You think you know the answer, but you want to hear her reasoning. 

"It's easy," she replies, sitting up straight. "John sat in a different spot for dinner last night than he did tonight. And since the food was already set out instead of someone bringing it out, someone just randomly poured the poison in the food." You nod slowly, turning this over. 

"So the killer is reckless, then? They don't have a plan. They're just killing..." you trail off slowly, and she nods.

"That's what I'd think. When I was a cop, I dealt with this kind of person all the time," she says easily, smirking and blowing a bubble. You nod, considering this. 

"Assuming the boats come tomorrow, should we take the bodies with us?" you ask, and Terezi pauses. 

"No. It'd be best not to mess with them. What happened to John's body? Where'd you put him?" she asks suddenly. 

"Oh, ah... We haven't moved him. It's only been a couple hours since he's died," you say. She stands. 

"Alright. I'm going to go check on his body. We'll probably have to move his at least, because dining next to a corpse is rather unappetizing," she says breezily, striding towards the door, her cane tapping on the ground. You watch her silently as she opens the door and leaves your room. 

===> Rose: Visit Kanaya

You don't need to go visit Kanaya, because within minutes the dark-skinned woman is standing in your doorway. 

"Hello, Rose," she says softly, studying her shoes. You glance down at them as well. Plain black flats. 

"Good evening, Kanaya," you say amiably, smiling at her. "How are you doing?" 

"Alright; I'm mostly troubled with the death of John." Her brows knit together. "Do you know how he died?"

"Nepeta, Tavros, and Terezi worked on giving him a basic autopsy... They're both experienced vets, you know, and she dabbled in forensics."

Kanaya raises her brows. "Really? She has an infatuation with the law, don't you think?" You nod. 

"She does. But she's also very reckless and crass," you say, settling into a chair. You gesture to the one next to you, wanting her to sit. She enters the room, closing the door behind her and sitting. 

"So, what were the results of the autopsy they did?" she asks, settling into the chair. 

"They could only guess because of a lack of equipment, but they said it was most likely poison," you reply, and she nods, falling silent for a bit. 

"I wonder why we were all brought here," she muses out loud, and you have to wonder as well. 

"Do we have anything in common?" you ask. 

"I doubt it; I asked around a bit, to see if perhaps we were all from the same place..."

"How did that go?"

"Not well," she says ruefully, smiling grimly. "We were all born in different places; for instance, Nepeta was born in South Korea, Dave in Texas, and Karkat in Puerto Rico."

"Really? Hm. Well I know we don't have the same professions..."

Kanaya nods slowly. "I can't think of a single thing that links us together," she murmurs. 

"Neither can I..." you say, your thoughts elsewhere as you look at her. She's very pretty. Her short dark hair curls around her ears and is styled perfectly. Her eyes are stunning emerald green, and her skin looks soft and supple. You find yourself leaning towards her. 

"Rose? What are you doing...?" she asks softly, her voice betraying her hopefulness. 

===> Rose: Kiss the girl

You kiss Kanaya gently, your lipsticks mixing with each other. She kisses you back immediately, her eyes widening, then slowly closing.

Her hands come up to cup your face, and you kiss her eagerly, your lips parting. She gasps softly, taking your breath away. 

And you're suddenly in paradise. 

===> Be Karkat 

You can't be Karkat Vantas right now because he's busy fucking Terezi into the mattress.

===> Well that was quick. Terezi left maybe ten minutes ago. 

He moves fast. 

===> Goddamn 

I know, right. 

===> Alright, well, be Gamzee

You are now Gamzee Makara, and this island is fucking beautiful. 

_It's a motherfuckimg motherfucking miracle,_ you think as you stare down at the dark island. A lit joint in your hand is one of the few sources of lights up here on the large rock, and you slowly turn to face the center of the island. You can barely see something, in the middle of a clearing on the island, and you stand. You climb down the large rock, and head for the clearing. 

===> Gamzee: Arrive

You arrive in the clearing after a bit, still smoking your joint. You snuff it out on a nearby tree and venture towards the center of the clearing, to where a large set of wooden gallows sit. 

Your stomach clenches and your eyes widen. You lock up, feeling your breathing becoming irregular. You suddenly bend over, feeling sick, and vomit onto the ground. 

You slowly straighten up after a minute, wiping your mouth on the bottom of your shirt. You turn towards the gallows, and you swallow hard as you think you feel a phantom noose squeezing the life out of you.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i keEP FORGETTING TO POST CHAPTERS IM SO SORRY

===> Be Aradia

You are now Aradia Megido, and you're walking through the forest. The forest has always been a familiar place to you, and it's always comforted you. You're alone, even though Sollux told you not to go by yourself.

"There'th a murderer out there, AA," he had said, squinting at you. In the short time you had known him, you had realized that his lisp got worse and more noticable when he was upset or concerned. So he had been upset or concerned. _About you_.

You allow yourself to blush faintly as you think about him. You had developed feelings for him, and even though he wouldn't say so, you were fairly certain he reprociated. 

You sit on a large boulder, looking around. You study each individual tree, pausing when you see one with a large O carved into it. You raise a brow and get up fluidly. 

===> Aradia: Investigate

You gently rap on the O, and frown when it makes a hollow noise. You grasp the inner edges of the O and pull, letting out a noise of surprise when it swings open. You cough as dust flies into your face, and once it's cleared, you peer into the hole. 

Inside sits a book. 

You slowly take out the book, curious. You flip it open to the first page. It's in Japanese. You raise your brows. It's been years since you've had to read Japanese. 

"Day One--- It's been a whole day since I've arrived on this island, and there's been a horrible lack of sex..." you trail off slowly, your brows squinching together. You know who wrote this. You recognize the messy lettering, and the writing patterns. 

You flip through the pages hurriedly, arriving to one in the middle. It's blank. Your mouth drops open slighty, and you flip back through the other pages. Most of them are blank, and you shiver slightly. 

You freeze as you hear a click from behind you, and you turn around quickly. You only have time to see a smirk before the person pulls the trigger. 

===> Be Nepeta Leijon 

You are now Nepeta, and you're searching for Equius when you hear a gunshot. You freeze, your eyes widenening. 

You then run down the two flights of stairs and into the library. 

"Did you hear that?!" you say loudly, eyes wide. Karkat, Rose, and Kanaya look at you; apparently Equius isn't here either. 

"Yeah, it sounded like a fucking gunshot," Karkat says, turning back to his laptop. You stare at him. 

"Well, isn't that something that should bother you?" you ask frantically. Karkat turns to you again, looking confused. 

"No? You and Equius went out hunting," he says slowly, "So isn't that what it is?" You shake your head quickly. 

"I can't find him! We haven't gone hunting at all!" Karkat's mouth drops open, and there's a flurry of movement as everyone gets up. 

"Where did it come from?" Kanaya asks urgently. 

"The forest, I think," you say quickly, and all the blood drains out of Karkat's face. He pushes past you quickly, running out of the house. He's faster than you'd think; he sprints ahead of you, Rose, and Kanaya, screaming Terezi's name. 

You try not to let that bother you; you have to be worried about Equius right now. As strong as he is, he can't beat a gun.

The four of you run out into the forest, calling out people's names. You split up, desperate to find whomever got shot. 

===> Nepeta: Find the body

You suddenly stumble upon a body. 

You can tell instantly who it is, even though there's blood all down her face. Long ginger curls are lying in a pool of blood, and just by that you can tell it's Aradia. 

"Shit," you whisper, eyes widening as you slowly kneel by the body. Your mouth drops open slightly, and then you start screaming. 

===> Nepeta: Keep screaming

You scream even as Rose and Karkat and Kanaya arrive. Karkat says something like _oh shit_ but you know he's relieved it's not Terezi. 

Rose pales, until her skin is almost snow white, and Kanaya gasps. 

"Aradia..." Rose says quietly, her eyes wide.

You keep screaming, unable to tear your eyes away from the bullet hole in Aradia's forehead, and Karkat has to pick you up bridal-style and carry you away to get you to hush. 

"Quiet, Nepeta," he says gruffly? brows knitted together slightly. Your screams slowly quiet down, and then you start to cry, more out of fear than sadness. 

You clutch him, your fingers digging into his shirt as you sob brokenly. He awkwardly pats your hair as he carries you into the mansion. There, he stumbles onto Equius. 

"Oh, good," he says, looking relieved. "Equius, Nepeta..." He trails off slowly and Equius nods, taking you from Karkat. You clutch him next, sobbing into his oil-stained wifebeater. 

"What happened?" Equius asks Karkat as he cradles you gently. 

"Aradia was just killed," the short boy replies gruffly, frowning. "Someone shot her in the forehead..."

"I see," Equius mutters, frowning as well. "I should go calm Nepeta down," he says quietly, then turns and carries you up the stairs. 

===> Be Equius

You are now Equius Zahhak, and you've just gotten Nepeta into bed. ow ow, innuendo. She passed out a minute after being laid down, so you watched her for a moment then left the room. 

You exhale slowly as you close her bedroom door behind you. It was a shame Miss Megido had to die; you would never admit it, but you had been attracted to her. oh boo.

You slowly descend the stairs and walk towards the library, frowning when the whispered conversation that was being held inside comes to a halt. 

Karkat, Rose, Kanaya, and Terezi had all had their heads bent together, and they stopped and looked at you as you stood in the archway to the library. 

"My apologies," you mutter, taking a step back before turning and leaving the house. 

You do hope they weren't talking about you.


	15. Chapter 15

PART FOUR FEATURING: three tragic deaths, a trial, and some kisses

===> Be Terezi

You are now Terezi Pyrope, and you are putting your foot down! 

Literally. You slam your foot down, squinting at the people around you in the room. All 13 of you are in the library, and you're standing in front of the rather large fireplace. 

"This has got to stop!" you say loudly, stomping your foot again. "Somebody here..." you throw your gaze around the room. "Is a murderer!" You feel a thrill go through you. You grin. 

"It could be any one of us!" you say loudly. 

"Even you!" Feferi says from her spot in a lime armchair. 

"Even me! Wait--- no!" you shake your head vigorously. "It's not me."

"How do we know that?" Feferi says, frowning at you. "You could just be holding this meeting to throw us all off!" A murmur ripples through the room, and your eyes widen. 

"Well, I'm not the killer!" Nobody looks convinced, so you hurriedly continue. 

"Anyway! Somebody here wants all of us dead, for some reason or another," you say slowly. "We... don't really know why yet. There could be something that links us all together, but I'm not sure what it is," you admit. 

There it is again; that tickle in the back of your mind. You just _know_ you've heard the name Scratch Island before, but you can't--- remember--- where!

"I, uh... I don't think there's really anything that, um, links us together..." Tavros says slowly. From your left side, Rose shakes her head. 

"I'm convinced that there is," she murmurs. "Why else would sixteen people be invited to an island to get murdered? It was certainly not a random selection." You nod, agreeing with her. 

"So all of you think about what could be linking us together!" you say, frowning. "Meanwhile... make sure you protect yourself!" You pause. "Okay, you're free to go! But Rose, Karkat, and Vriska, please stay behind." Everyone dispatches, leaving the four of you in the library together. 

"What the hell do you want, Pyrope?" Vriska asks. In the short span of time you've known her, she's treated you as a rival for some reason.

"I think the four of us should go out investigating," you say, smiling coolly at her.

"What is there to investigate?" Karkat asks bluntly, and you can't help but smirk. Your little cherry boy doesn't know anything about crime scenes. 

"The crime scene, for one thing!" you exclaim. "The culprit must have left something behind." He looks a bit doubtful, and Rose nods. 

"I think we ought to go right away," she says, and Karkat speaks up suddenly. 

"So wait. I can understand why you're bringing Lalonde, and even me, I _guess_... But why the fuck do we need Vriska?!" he demands, and you can't help but cackle at that. 

"Because if we get lost, she can yell help really loudly!"

===> Terezi: Go to crime scene

And so the four of you leave the building. With Vriska's complaining and over-the-top bravado as ambience, you trek out to where Aradia was shot. 

Rose and Karkat, who were leading the way, suddenly stop walking, and you and Vriska stop behind them. You peer over Karkat's short frame to spy the crime scene.

At the base of the tree lies Aradia's dead body. It's completely untouched from what you can see so far, and there's a rather large puddle of drying blood under her frame. There's a bit of blood splattered on the tree's bottom half, and a suspicious smear up near the top. 

You narrow your eyes slightly, and walk around Karkat, advancing towards the body. You kneel by her dead frame, carefully brushing the hair out of her face. Her expression is frozen in one of terror, eyes wide, mouth in an O. You squint at her, studying the bullet hole in her forehead. If you had had your forensics kit, you could have performed a basic ballistics test, but unfortunately...

You clench your teeth and scowl at the body, studying it more. 

"How long has she been dead?" you ask Rose, and she hesitates. 

"Perhaps... forty five minutes?" 

What? Forty five, already?

"That's strange..." you mutter under your breath. _Why are the eyes still intact?_

You slowly study the rest of the body. There's a faint gunpowder burn around the entrance hole of the bullet, telling you she was shot at a close range. There're a few bruises up and down her arms, and a smear of blood on her hand. 

"I see..." you murmur faintly, straightening up. This case just got very interesting. 

===> Be Kanaya

You are now Kanaya Maryam, and you were reading a book up until a moment ago, when there was a rather uprubt blackout. 

You stand slowly, looking around the room. It's around three in the afternoon so light is still filtering in through the library windows, but it's not much. You set your book down and leave the room. 

You head towards the cellar door next, assuming there must be a powerbox downstairs. You see Eridan approaching it as well, and you call out to him. 

"Eridan!" He jumps about a foot in the air, looking startled. He calms down a moment later and collects himself. 

"Hey, Kan," he says, opening the cellar door. "You thinkin' that there's a powerbox down in th' cella' too?" You nod. 

"I wonder why the power went out, though," you muse aloud, and he shrugs. 

"It's 'n old house... it's probably just somethin' malfunctionin'," he dismisses, starting down the cellar stairs. 

You follow him wordlessly, pausing when you reach the bottom of the stairs. You look around the room; it's pitch black. Eridan digs his Galaxy out of his back pocket and turns the brightness up to the highest setting. 

You then follow him as he shines the beam around the room, and ah-hah's as he finds the powerbox. He strolls up to it and flips it open, then starts messing around with it. 

"The power outtage came from upstairs, 'n someone's room," he says slowly. "Since this house is old, power outtages can occur becos'a a short circut or somethin'," he says. 

"So..." you trail off slowly. "There was a short circut somewhere?" He nods. 

"I assume so."

"Did you get the power back on?" you ask, and he nods. 

"Yeah. It's all good now."

 

===> Be Feferi

You are now Feferi Peixes, and for some reason, you smell burning flesh. Or something smouldering, at least. 

You're up on the third floor, trying to figure out which room was Eridan's. You had wanted to talk with him, when suddenly the power went out. The smell of burning _something_ wafted towards you, and now your attention has shifted. 

You follow the scent, pushing the door open to what you recognize as Sollux's room. You slowly walk in, calling his name softly. He doesn't answer, and his laptop sits on the bed, smoking slightly. You relax. Maybe that was the smell. 

But then a stronger, more pungent smell hits your nose and you recoil. You muster up your courage and open the the bathroom door. 

Sollux lies in the tub, completely submerged. His mouth is duct taped over, and his eyes are hidden by a blindfold. His limbs look stiff, and his hair is smoking slightly, and there's a shorted out hairdryer in the tub. 

You don't scream, instead stumbling backwards and running out of the room, as fast as your legs will carry you. You hurry down the two flights of stairs, tripping slightly and almost running into Kanaya and Eridan, who are emerging from the cellar. 

"Woah, Fef," Eridan says, catching you, his eyes wide. "What happened?"

"Sollux, he---" you whisper, eyes wide. Kanaya's eyes widen as well, and she turns and hurries upstairs. Eridan stays with you, gently stroking your long brown curls as you bury your face in his shoulder. 

You had liked Sollux, too.


	16. Chapter 16

 

===> Be Gamzee 

You are now Gamzee, and you're starving. 

It's around five now, and dinner's not served until around seven or even eight, so sneaking a bite to eat wouldn't hurt. On top of that, you're a grownup who can make decisions for yourself. 

You open the pantry, taking out a package of lemon cookies and turn around to find yourself face to face with Equius. He starts to sweat immediately, his face flushing red. 

"M-my apologies," he stammers, taking a step back. 

"'S'all cool, motherfucker," you say lazily, stuffing a cookie into your mouth. He nods slowly and you chew the cookie slowly before rummaging through the foil package and handing him one of the confections. He shakes his head rapidly. 

"N-no, thank you, but I am very thankful for the generous offer," he says awkwardly, and you raise your brows. What motherfucker doesn't like cookies? Maybe he just needs a little pushing. 

"Naw, bro, I insist," you press, grinning languidly at him. He hesitantly accepts the cookie, taking a tiny bite. You nod at him, and he takes a bigger bite. 

"Excellent," he murmurs quietly, cheeks still red. A bead of sweat rolls down his cheek, and you absently reach forward to wipe it away. His cheeks flush more vibrantly, and he shies away from your touch slightly. 

"Mister Makara---" he stutters out, and you can't help but smirk at that. 

"Aw, c'mon, motherfucker... Mister Makara was my pop," you say, shaking your head. He fidgets slightly, unsure of what to call you now. 

"You can just call me Gamzee, motherfucker," you supply, and he nods. 

"Alright, G-gamzee," he says, tongue tripping over your name. You slowly reach forward, suddenly wanting to see his eyes. You remove his scratched up glasses and he flinches, surprised but not stopping you. 

His eyes are baby blue, framed with long black lashes. They're the most stunning pair of eyes you've ever seen, and his face reminds you of a ruddy apple by now, or maybe a tomato. 

===> Gamzee: Kiss the boy

You're not really sure why you want to kiss Equius, but you do, so you slowly start to lean forward. He can't blush anymore than he is right now, so sweat starts to trickle down his face more profusely. 

His eyes slowly flutter shut, and your lips ghost over his, in the beginnings of a kiss. He moves forewards slightly, and you're only starting to kiss him when someone bursts into the room. 

"Hey, Equius--- oh my goodness!" Nepeta shrieks slightly. Equius crushes the cookie he's holding into powder and jumps away from you, flustered. 

You grin at him, just to embarass him, and he turns away from you, blushing hard. You hand him his shades and he takes them, hurriedly putting them on and exiting the room quickly, Nepeta following closely behind. 

You grin, eating the last cookie out of the package, and then you leave through the back door. 

===> Be Eridan

You are now Eridan Ampora. 

"Hey, Fef," you say, approaching the Hawaiian girl. She turns to you, smiling slightly. 

"Yeah, Eridan?" she asks, and you scoot a bit closer to her. 

"Isn't it kinda sad, everyone's death?" you ask, frowning. You had just sent Kanaya out to find Terezi's group to inform them of Sollux's untimely demise. She suddenly looks solemn and nods, frowning. 

"I hate it..." she mumbles, looking upset. She sniffles slightly. 

"Even though I've only known everyone for a few days... I feel like they're my friends," she says sadly, too. "That they _were_ all my friends..." she sniffled, a couple tears running down her cheeks. You reach forward, frowning. You don't like that Feferi is sad. 

"Hey, Fef, it's a'ight..." you murmur, wiping her cheeks. "We'll think of something."

"R-really?"

"I promise." 

===> Be Vriska

You are now Vriska Serket and Jesus Christ, Terezi is boring!

She's been poking around Aradia's corpse for a while now, frowning as she does so. 

"Ugh, Tereziiiiiiiii!" you whine, staring at her. "This is so booooring!" She straightens up, frowning. 

"I'm done, anyway," she says briskly, with an air of importance. "We can head back now." Karkat shyly takes a step closer to her and threads their fingers together, and you all start to head back, when Kanaya comes crashing through the foliage. 

"Rose--- Terezi---" she gasps, a bit winded. "Sollux--- he's---" Your eyes widen ever so slightly, and Terezi looks startled. 

"What?! Sollux's dead?" she demands, eyes wide. Kanaya nods quickly. 

"Yes--- Feferi just discovered him," she says quickly, and Terezi grits her teeth. 

"I think I'm probably right," she mutters, then speaks louder. "Take me to the body."

Kanaya nods, and hurriedly starts to walk back to the mansion. Rose and Terezi follow close behind, while you and Karkat stay behind. 

"Should we... follow?" he asks unsurely, and you shrug. 

"I don't think it matters," you say, and start to walk off. He follows, and you frown. 

"Why are you following me?" you demand, and he narrows his eyes at you. 

"Because you're suspicious, Vriska," he snaps, pointing a finger at you. Your eyes widen. 

"I'm suspicious?!" you exclaim, incredulous. "You're the suspicious one!" He takes a step back. 

"How am I suspicious?!"

"You're getting awfully close to Pyrope, aren't you? Isn't it merely because you hope she'll go easy on you once she realizes you're the killer."

"Wh--- no! That's the most idiotic thing I've ever heard!" he scoffs, glaring at you. You narrow your eyes more at him. You get up in his face, glaring at him. 

"You're guilty, pipsqueak," you snarl at him. 

"You're the killer, pancake!" he retaliates. You redden. 

"Pancake?!" You may now not be as well-endowed as Terezi, but you're not that small! He snickers slightly. 

"You heard me," he snaps, turning on his heel and walking off. You narrow your eyes at him.


	17. Chapter 17

====> Be Tavros

You are now Tavros Nitram, and you are helping Feferi to lay out the bodies. You, her, and a recently arrived Terezi had agreed that you all ought to lay out the bodies. It had been four or five days since you all arrived on the island, and there was no sign of anyone coming to get you all. 

"There," Feferi murmurs, straightening Sollux's body. "That should be good enough." You stare at the four corpses, feeling a pit in your stomach as you stare at them. Their eyes are closed, as a sign of respect, and there's an old sheet wrapped around Jade's mutliated midsection. 

You've laid the bodies out just off to the side of the house, where a tiny orange grove grows. It's a nice place, you guess; you just wish you could bury them. But curiously, no shovels were found in the toolshed, which had had the sturdy lock broken.

"...Why did they have to die, Tavros?" she asks, her eyes watering. "They didn't even do anything wrong, and they--" she lets out a soft sob. 

"Um, it's alright," you say clumsily, gently patting her shoulder. "We'll get out of here soon, I, uh, think..."

She lets out a louder cry at this, burying her face in your torso. 

"Um," you say stupidly. You're not used to having pretty girls crying into your torso. You slowly pet her hair, though, looking down at her. She collects herself a moment later. She glances up at the sky, wiping her eyes. 

"Oh, the sun is setting," she says, her voice wavering. "I should be going. See you at dinner!" she says, voice full of fake pep as she walks off. 

You simply watch her go, wondering where she's going. 

===> Be the killer

You're sitting in the library, Nepeta at your side. It's almost time for dinner, you assume, but you're entranced by the large fireplace. 

It's so large, you think you could fit a human being in there. You smirk slightly, and stand as Rose calls you all in for dinner. 

===> Be Rose

You are now Rose Lalonde. 

You sit down at the dinner table, and Karkat sits across from you. He had helped you make dinner; ever since John got poisoned, it was agreed that dinner should be prepared by two people at a time. 

Everyone else files in slowly, filling up the twelve chairs around the table. It was relatively silent for a while, before Kanaya spraks up. 

"I believe we should go around and look around the island tonight. In pairs, that is," she says softly. 

"Why do you think so?" you ask, taking a bite of carrots. 

"I feel like... there's something we're missing out on." 

You nod slowly. You've felt it too; like there's a mystery you're missing. 

"Alright," you decide. "We'll meet by the gallows at ten. Bring flashlights and such." Everyone nods. You finish your plate and stand. 

"I'll be reading in the library," you say, walking out of the room.

===> Be Karkat 

You are now Karkat Vantas. 

Everyone has dispersed and spread out every which way, and you're sitting upstairs in your room, writing your newest romance novel frantically. Might as well get some good work done while you're trapped on this godforsaken-murder-island. 

You're alone in your room, when you suddenly hear someone screaming. Your blood runs cold and you scramble off the bed, almost dropping your precious laptop onto the floor. You carefully set it on the duvet, then sprint down the two flights of stairs, wincing when the smell of something burning hits your nose. 

You run into the living room, where everyone seems to have congregated. The couch has been pushed in front of the fireplace, and your eyes widen as you place the smell as burning flesh. 

"Oh, fuck," you whisper, as Vriska, Dave, Tavros, and Nepeta all push the couch out of the way. 

Rose's half-burned body lies in the fireplace. She's clearly dead, and Kanaya screams, falling to her knees. 

"Who did this!" she screams, tears running down her cheeks. "Who?!"

Everyone seems distraught, but nobody says anything. The room is filled with the crackling of the fireplace and Kanaya's sobs, until Terezi steps forward and clears her throat. 

"Don't worry, Kanaya. I know who did it."


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry

===> Be Nepeta

You are now Nepeta Leijon, and Terezi has called for a trial in her bedroom, of all places. 

Kanaya is still distraught over Rose's death, and though Dave doesn't show it, you and everyone else knows that he's torn up about it. 

Terezi stands with her back to the door, and Karkat is by her side, acting like a guard. She clears her throat and the small-talk around the room stops as everyone turns to look at her. 

"This trial will be quick, I think," she says, "And then we can hang the criminal and get off this island." A ripple of affirmation goes around the room and you look around, trying to see if anyone has paled. Nobody has; it's obvious the killer has a good poker face. 

"I'd like to start by recounting to you the deaths of our beloved friends--- Jade was hacked apart with an axe, John was poisoned, Aradia was shot in the forehead, Sollux was electrocuted, and Rose was burnt." She pauses for a moment. 

"The killer used very diverse methods to eliminate of his victims's lives," she continues, "But it's that diversity that doomed him." She grins wickedly, and you suddenly think that she must be _absolutely terrifying_ in court. 

"So you're probably all wondering who this mystery man is, right?" she says, pausing for dramatic effect. She surveys the room, then points suddenly. You flinch, because the finger's in your direction, but then you hear a small gasp and look up and----

No. Nononono _nonononono---_

"Equius Zahhak," Terezi says, "I know you did it. It's painfully obvious, actually." 

"It can't be Equius!" you interject suddenly. "He would never do such a thing---" Your best friend could have never done it. Terezi tsks, shaking her head.

"I'm sorry, Nepeta," she says gently, "But you have to look at the evidence. As we all know, when Equius isn't working at his mechanics shop, he's a bodybuilder." Everyone nods, glancing at Equius. He's started to sweat. 

"Therefore, he's the only one who could've broken the lock on the shed. And what's inside the shed? Axes. Why else would he go inside the shed?" she shrugs. "I can't think of an answer."

"We also know he brought a gun for hunting," Kanaya says in a wavering voice, "And I'm fairly certain nobody else has one..." Terezi nods sagely. 

"And then, for both Sollux and Rose, they had to be swiftly overpowered, and it probably had to take a lot of muscle power to move the couch by himself! It took four of us to push it away," Terezi says coolly, glaring at Equius. 

You start to shake; there's no way Equius committed the crime. You clutch him, your eyes watering slightly. You don't believe it, you don't believe it, _you don't believe it_ \---

"I didn't do it," Equius says calmly, though his eyes are wide. Terezi, who had been facing the window to think, spins around to face him. 

"Did you or did you not break the lock on the shed outside?" she challenges. Equius starts to prespire more heavily. 

"I-- I did, but---"

"But nothing," Terezi spits. "That's all I need to convict you," she says, and takes a length of rope out of nowhere. For one fearful second, you think she's going to strangle him here and now, but she just has Karkat tie him up firmly. 

"The best time to have a hanging is morning, so we'll wait til then," she says crisply, then turns on her heel and exits the room, calling to you on her way out. 

"Nepeta, guard the door. But if you even think about setting him free, I'll press charges on you too."

Karkat hurries out of the room after her, and everyone else follows. You're left alone with Equius, and you turn to him as the door shuts. 

"Did you do it?" you whisper quietly, staring down at him. He doesn't answer, and your stomach knots. 

"...Why?" you ask simply, but he doesn't answer that either. So you just watch him silently, despair filling you. 

===> Be Terezi

You are now Terezi Pyrope. 

"How did you get so smart?" Karkat asks as you walk up to his room. You smirk slightly. 

"Years and years of law school," you reply, grinning. He just nods, following you into your room. 

"So, you're sure Equius did it?"

"Absolutely. Who else could've done it?" you ask, sitting on his bed. He shrugs, closing his door ad coming over to sit next to you. You smile at him, and his lips quirk upward. 

"I'm just glad this whole thing is ending," he sighs out, and you nod, leaning forward. Your noses bump, and he blushes as you kiss him gently. You put your hands on either side of his face and deepen the kiss. His cheeks warm up under your hands, and you slowly climb into his lap, then push him down on the bed. 

He lets you, his hands instantly going to your ass. You gasp slightly and he grins beneath the kiss, starting to remove your pants.

===> Terezi: Bask in the afterglow

About an hour later, you curl up to Karkat's chest, yawning into his skin. He grunts slightly, wrapping his arms around your bare torso. 

You snuggle up to him, your eyes fluttering shut as you hold him. You love this boy. You love him so much, and you want to get off this island so he can be properly yours. 

===> Terezi: Sleep

===> Be Karkat

You are now Karkat Vantas, and you have a naked girl around you. And you're starving. 

As much as you don't want to leave Terezi and go to get a snack, you have to, or your stomach is going to dissolve itself. You slowly slide out of her arms, taking care not to wake her. You then tug your crab boxers back on and creep out of your room. 

You check the large wall clock at the end of the hallway; it's almost eleven. You tiptoe down the stairs, heading into the kitchen. You slowly open the cupboard, taking out a package of crackers. 

You put one in your mouth, thinking. You think you're in love with Terezi. It's only been about a week, but you feel so strongly towards her. Your lips turn up in a rare smile, and you swallow. It's then that you hear a floorboard creak behind you. Your blood runs cold, and you slowly turn around to face---

Nobody's there. You raise your brows, then relax. The house was probably just settling, you reason, and tug on your boxers slightly before shoving a few more crackers in your mouth and exiting the kitchen. 

You start to ascend the stairs when you hear a stair creak above you. You can't see who's above you, and you don't have time to find out, because an arrow comes flying down the stairs, and hits you square in the chest. 

Your eyes widen and you stare down at the arrow for a minute before you fall backwards down the stairs. You try to scream for help, pain coursing through your body, but blood fills your mouth. 

You gasp through your nose, but blood is filling that too. You can only think that you don't want to die, you don't want to die, you want to be with Terezi---

You're running out of air. You coat your fingertips in blood, weakly trying to etch a message out on the wooden floor. And then it all goes dark.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> send me your theories i want to know how wrong you are heeehehehe

PART FIVE FEATURING: a discovery, a charade, and a broken pact. 

===> Be the person who signed up for the pact

You can't believe you're doing this. This is so wrong.

"It'll be fine," the other person assures you. "Once we do this, the murderer will become perfectly clear." You nod, still apprehensive of the plan. 

"When, though?" you whisper softly. The other pauses. 

"Soon. I'll come visit you," they say, and start to leave your room. You watch them go silently. 

You hope you wont regret this.

===> Be Dave

You are now Dave Strider, and you're talking to Terezi. She's energized, pepped up for the hanging today. 

"It's going to be wonderful," she says, as she buttons her blouse. "I haven't gotten to hang anyone in _ages_!" She says it like it's a bad thing. You nod idly. 

"Hey, where's Karkat?" you ask suddenly. You haven't seen the grumpy kid since last night, and he's usually attatched to Terezi's hip. She raises a brow and shrugs. 

"He probably went on to breakfast already," she dismisses calmly, tugging on some red Converse. You nod, and she grins wickedly. 

"Shall we?" she asks, flicking her cane out. She takes your arm. 

"Breakfast first, and then we shall visit the criminal," she announces, and you roll your eyes, starting to head down the stairs with her. She stops about halfway down the stairs, eyes widening. The ground floor is shrouded in darkness, but the metallic scent of blood wafts up to greet you both. Your eyes widen as well, and you both stare at each other for a moment before starting to run down the stairs. She stumbles slghtly on the bottom step, letting out a shriek as she almost topples onto the dead body at the foot of the stairs. You grab her wrist, yanking her up next to you.

She stares down at the body, and you hesitantly flick on the lights. Her mouth drops open as she sees the body of Karkat. 

"Dave... Tell me my eyes are just fucking with me..." she whispers, clutching you a bit tighter. You shake your head. 

"...no, it's him, Rezi," you say quietly. She lets out a broken noise, burying her face in your shoulder and shaking hard. She pulls away after half a moment, her face red with anger. Tears run rapidly down her cheeks and she moves up the two flights of stairs. 

You had dated her long enough to know when she was furious, and when she was hysterical. And now she's both. 

You follow her quickly, barely catching up to her as she bursts into Equius's room. She's screaming unintelligible things at both of them, tears running down her cheeks furiously. She grabs the front of Equius's oil-stained wifebeater and just screams _why_ at him over and over. 

People are starting to approach the scene and you have to grab her arms and drag her away. She's still screaming at both Equius and Nepeta, struggling against your grip. You're more than a match for plump, half-blind prosecutors, though, so you're able to restrain her. You're taking her towards your room, as she screams. 

" _You'll both pay for this!_ " she screams hysterically. You lock the door behind you and push her onto the bed. She gets up immediately, crying, beating your chest with small fists as she tries to get past you. 

"Let--- me--- out of here---!" she shrieks loudly. "I'm--- going to kill them for this!" You restrain her, and eventually she has to calm down, sinking to her knees and crying into her hands. You kneel beside her and start petting her hair. 

"It's okay, TZ," you whisper into the reddish brown mop, and hug her tightly. She sobs into your shoulder, her entire body shaking. 

"It's not okay!" she screeches, and looks up at you suddenly. "I'm going to kill them for this." You sigh, pinching your brow. 

"C'mon. It's alright, TZ," you try to calm her down, and she just shakes her head.

"How the _fuck_ can you say that--?" she says, glaring at you. "I--- hate them---" 

You take a deep breath, and even though Karkat's death has rattled you too, you try to calm her down. 

You don't want her doing anything rash. 

===> Be Kanaya

You are now Kanaya Maryam, and by now you all have learned about Karkat's untimely demise. 

You're all clustered around Equius's room, not saying anything, just staring at him. You're all thinking he did it; who else knows how to shoot an arrow? Suddenly, someone speaks up. 

"Did you really kill Karkat?" Eridan asks, frowning at Equius. The man doesn't answer him, staring at the floor. A ripple goes through the crowd. 

"It couldn't've been him!" Nepeta cries, "I was here with him all night!"

"Pah! Your word counts for nothing," Vriska scoffs, "You could be covering for him! He is your best friend, after all!" 

"I'm not!" Nepeta sounds panicked and frustrated, her hair messy. "He was with me the entire night!"

"So you both killed Karkat?" You're surprised you spoke up, and everyone glances at you. Nepeta's mouth falls open into an O. 

"You teamed up to kill him?" you ask, eyeing them both. 

"Then we should kill both of thim!" Vriska yells, grinning. A few people nod as well, spurred on by panic. Equius pales noticably. 

"No, don't kill her," he says, finally speaking up. "I did it all myself---"

"Nonsense!" Vriska shouts, eyes glinting wickedly. "You both did it--- Nepeta practically said it herself just now!" As Equius starts to panic more and Nepeta tries to defend both of them, you feel a bit guilty for accusing her. 

But only a bit.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> shit its been a while
> 
> sorry
> 
> i was working on my costume for awa, but now that thats over, updates will be a lot more regular!!

===> Be Feferi

You are now Feferi Peixes, and some time has passed since this morning. It's around lunchtime now, and you head upstairs, carrying a plate of food. 

Equius and Nepeta have been alone together all morning, and you've been elected to bring them food. You exhale slowly, glancing at the lunch foods--- two sandwiches, two small bowls of applesauce, and two glasses of water. You glance down the hallway and see the room they're supposed to be in. 

You swallow thickly and go to the door. You knock. 

"Nepeta? It's Feferi--- I have lunch here for you both," you say, leaning against the wall. You've been so tired lately. Nobody answers the door, and you furrow your brow, knocking again. 

"Nep? I'm coming in---" you warn, and then turn the knob on the door. You go in and drop the tray, letting out a loud scream. 

===> Be Eridan

You are now Eridan Ampora, and _fuck_ , Feferi just let out a loud, terrified scream. You close your book and run out of your room and across the hall. 

"What is it--- oh fuck!" you yelp, taking a step back as you see the sight in front of you. Lying closest to the door is Equius. His face is tinged blue, an there's an old sheet tied tightly around his throat. The look on his face is pained. But what's more startling is Nepeta. 

Her body is farther away, and you might not have noticed it, except for the blood sprayed all over the walls and carpet. You might not have known it was her because her face and body has been beaten into a bloody pulp. An old bat lies next to her body, covered in blood and grey matter. 

Feferi screams again and backs up a few steps before throwing up. The scent in the room is disgusting, and you can feel your own stomach lurching. You back up as well and shout for the others to come up, quickly. 

Soon everyone is clustered around, even a tear-streaked Terezi. 

"Fuck," Vriska says softly. For all of her bravado, she didn't want anyone to die. And who could kill poor, innocent Nepeta?

"Who did it?" Kanaya asks quietly. It's silent for five, six, seven beats, before everyone turns and looks at Terezi. She sighs softly. 

"Shit."

===> Years in the past, but not many... (Be an ambiguous narrator)

You're in a familiar yet remote place. Over the course of a few weeks, all of your friends have died. You are alone. All alone. 

===> Be the guilty one

"I know you did it, you bitch!" she screams at you, blood running down her face. She clutches her nose and you smirk, holding the lead pipe in your hand. 

"Of course I did, girlie," you say, spinning the pipe. It's raining hard, and you just want to shut this girl up so you can all be saved. 

It's all of your destinies. 

Her eyes widen. "You killed--- our friends---" You laugh. 

"Friends? None of them were my friends!" you laugh. She scowls at you, clutching her flimsy knife. 

"But--"

"Do you want to know how he screamed when I cut his fingers off? How blue he turned when I strangled him? How loud she sobbed when I hit her over, and over, and over?!"

She lets out a pained noise ad you advance on her some more. 

"And now," you say pleasently, raising the pipe, "You'll join them." You bring it down, and shatter her skull.


End file.
